Night Walk: Blood Dress
by AiDeeKay
Summary: One night fear surrounds her as she is knocked cold. She is abducted by vampires who want her blood badly, even fighting amongst themselves. With the help of one of those vampires, she tries to go back to the way things were, but nothing is the same again
1. Dreams Come True

Well, this is my new story, and I hope people like it. Review.

* * *

Walking home, I teetered towards the edge of fear. I did not know why. I walked home at night every day, the fear I felt had no valid reason. My house is in view, and just as I start to relax and pick up the pace, blackness surrounds me.

* * *

I wake up to find myself somewhere I have never seen before, not even in dreams, and I usually had dreams that come true. Albeit, not the dreams of getting this one guy I had my eye on, but you know what I mean. Once, I dreamt someone got in an accident just outside my house during a wintry day. I woke up, and laughed. It was spring, and where I lived –California—it did not snow.

Nevertheless, low and behold, while visiting a friend in New York, a car accident occurred right in front of her house. Her house was completely different in structure from mine, so I took it as coincidence. The last time I had a dream come true was when I was walking home, and a person comes behind me, and with just _his hands_ knocks me out cold.

I was scared. All my guy friends complimented me for my looks and physique. I never took it to heart, because I could never see what was so good about me. What if the man tried to _rape_ me? I cannot even _run_, let alone _fight_. What would I do?

I heard footsteps, and my heartbeat skyrocketed. Even I could hear it, and I swear my hearing is closer deaf than hearing. I listen to way too much music.

The door opened with loud creaks, and in came a beautiful woman. I am no lesbo, but she was extremely beautiful. She walked gracefully, making the best models seem like cheap imitations; beauty-enhancing techniques on women like Angelina Jolie were made to look archaic; Gisele Bündchen's silky hair seems coarse. She was inhumanly beautiful. Maybe she would be the one to—

No, I will not even go there. If that is the case, I will pull hair, scratch, mess up her pretty little face so bad, she will look plain.

However, I could not do anything but look at her, as if awaiting some kind of fate that I yet had to understand, or yet to know.

What would I know? I am barely a graduating high schooler. I know nothing, not even what I want in life. Well, I do know one thing: I do not want to get raped, killed, or enslaved—those were all in my dream, except the rape part.

"I see you have woken up," she told me gently, but could not help but shiver. Her voice was nice too, but something in my head told me to fear her, something innate, something given to "the fittest," to survive.

"Yea, I'm still kind of sleepy," I told her daringly. I was scared witless, but my sarcasm and smart-mouthed remarks would stay with me past the day I die. This was as part of my genetic makeup as the irrational fear I felt prior to getting knocked out, and hearing her voice.

"Well, it's daylight time, so you should have slept for about seven hours. You have slept enough," she told me decisively. _What? She dared to not see the comedy in my remark? Well…_whatever. I was too scared to actively care that she did not get I was scared. Pretty people are like that. They figure they use their looks to get by on with life, and never trained to use a single nerve cell to figure out what six squared is. Which is thirty six. (Another reason my friends were just being nice to me. Pretty people know their pretty.)

"Well…" I said, trying to figure something else to say. "Well…I have to get to school. Summer school and everything," I told her. She didn't know anything about me. I just graduated. I still acted immaturely, and I was going to UCSD come September…

"You think you can lie to me?" she asked me, stepping closer, looking angry.

I kind of whimpered. I wanted my mommy. I wanted to take care of my sister, seven years younger than me, and always getting into trouble if your turn your back for a split second.

She smiled lazily, as if she's used to people acting like that. She must be a boss for a corporation or something…

"Come, we need something to eat." Well, now she was talking. I was starving. I had planned to eat when I got home, but I was knocked unconscious before I even came ten yards away from it.

"Right behind you," I told her, but she waited. Apparently, she was going to be right behind me. No matter. I was starving and did not let this bother me.

Walking to the door, she instructed me to go to the left. I obediently headed left, while my mind started to think turbulently.

On the one hand, I was very hungry. Considering I was on a diet, I had not eaten in about twenty-four hours if what she told me was true –that it was day time. While on the other hand, I had this primitive fear for the third time in a row, as if I should be going to the right— my rightful exit—not the left. I did not know what was making me think like that, but my unconscious mind is not very quiet. I am quiet instinctive, so I knew that while the fear felt irrational to my logical mind, in the part where it guessed correctly more than a couple times, my mind told my body to run. I decided that I would then instead talk to the gorgeous woman next to me, as if her voice would keep me in fear instead of the direction we were heading towards—slowly because I had just woken up, and she imitated my steps.

"So, what's for breakfast?" I ask, cheerily, as if I knew her for a few days, not minutes.

"Meat—rare. Just enough that the juices are still quiet delicious," she told me, and I could almost hear her mouth salivating. For a pretty woman, she certainly didn't act like she knew lady-like manners. No matter. I liked meat. Maybe if I asked it to be well-cooked, she would see to it.

"Uhmm…I don't really like rare cooked meat, I prefer it well cooked. Do you think you can prepare that for me instead?"

"Sure," she said, smiling. I could have sworn she was smiling as if what I said was an inside joke to her and her party—whomever they happened to be, since I heard no voice, except for ours.

I heard our voices, our steps, and our breathing. It was quickening, since we were going up some long, dark stairs. The lighting was old, as if the electricity was cut off from the house, so the kerosene lamps gave it an old feeling to it.

"Ready?" she asked me, as if caring for an answer enough, that she stopped.

Excuse me I was hungry. I was not about to say no, no matter how much the back of my mind told me to say _it's okay, just let me go to summer school so I can tutor the brats that were too stupid to pay attention when school was mandatory_.

"I guess, sure," I told her, still politely. Her smile grew even more, but it didn't include her eyes, which seemed too relaxed, dilated a little too much to allow that low amount of light in. She reminded me of pictures my friends and I check out when we search for dead people when we feel gory.

I felt a little scared once again. Still, I reminded myself, I was hungry, and every time I back out of something, worse things seem to happen.

She opened the heavy door with one hand, and I came upon another girl. She was crying, and wearing a red dress, as old as the building it seemed. She had make up running down her face due to her crying.

She ran to me, and grabbed me as if she was a family member and thought I was dead.

"Run, run!" she told me.

I give her a look as if she is crazy, but it did not matter, because she did not see it.

"Why?" I ask her, soothingly. Crazy people need to be talked to nicely.

"They are going to eat you!" she cried in hysterics. She kept repeating it over and over again, trying to pull me to go to the right, where I felt I should have gone all along. I noticed that there were a couple other gorgeous people there, and my jaw almost dropped. Despite feeling sorry for the girl, I did not mind looking around at all the males in the room.

The girl kept tugging, and annoyed, I told her politely, "they are going to eat breakfast right now, and I doubt they would have kept you alive if they intended to eat you, or me for that matter." While saying it, the girl's words still pierced me. I believed it momentarily—just momentarily, and fear gripped me tighter than yesterday even.

"No, they keep us alive!" she kept telling me, insisting to run with her by tugging wildly. "They need us alive to get our blood!" She was crying all over again, and this time, snot was coming from her nose.

_Bloodsucker _was the first word that came to mind. I tried not to believe it.

_I am a sane, logical person. __I am smart than most, control myself that most_. It did not matter what I believed. Seeing everybody –about ten people not counting me and the girl, all looking slightly malnourished, they smiled without it reaching their eyes, and I realized that what this girl said was true.

They are vampires.

* * *

Well? Was it good? Should I continue?


	2. To Believe or Not to Believe

_Bloodsucker was the first word that came to mind. I tried not to believe it._

_I am a sane, logical person. __I am smart than most, control myself that most. It did not matter what I believed. Seeing everybody –about ten people not counting me and the girl, all looking slightly malnourished, they smiled without it reaching their eyes, and I realized that what this girl said was true._

_They are vampires._

Realizing this, I did not know what to do. They didn't seem like they were going to stop us, but they were rising from their chairs slowly, giving it a climatic feeling to it, that if they did it any slower, I would die of the suspense alone.

"Well," said the woman next to me. "Are you ready for breakfast?" she asked me, still kindly, as if the girl really _was_ crazy.

_Goddamn! Whom should I believe? The girl in hysterics, or the woman?_ I didn't know which was the best choice.

First, the woman came into the room I woke up in knowing someone would be there. Second, she scared me to the point of goose bumps, and I hate that feeling. I have been getting it more and more lately. Third, I was not about to eat when the girl was obviously traumatized about something.

This then brought me to the girl. She was in a dress, reminding me of some nineteenth century movie, and it brought out her skin, though she was dark compared to the others. She was still crying, and holding on to me, as if I was her last hope, and that alone made me feel as if I had to help her.

I still didn't know what to do. I stood there like an idiot, thinking about what choice would be best, when suddenly the only person who was sitting down sat up so quickly, his chair scraped.

"I think we've given them choice enough," he said quietly, almost in a husky voice, though the way he said it made me decide quickly: The girl was _not_ crazy, and neither was my instinct. Today was one of those days where I would walk away from something, knowing that it definitely _could not_ get worse.

"You're right," I tell them, but looking at the guy as I said it, and even then I couldn't really look at him. My eyes wouldn't focus. Wouldn't or couldn't, though, I did not know.

"You're right," I repeated. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I think I'll be going now." I hated that I needed to be strong, for both myself that the girl, and yet my voice audibly trembled.

"Are you sure?" asked someone else. She looked at me with an evil smile, as if daring me to stay. It almost worked, but right now, my fright was even bigger than my pride.

"Yes, I'm sure," I squeaked. Before I could show them what more of an impact they were having in me, I turned around.

The girl apparently fainted of exhaustion, but feeling I had moved, she was awake instantly. She grabbed my hand, we sped walk past the woman, and then, we began to run.

Considering the girl was still teary-eyed, she ran as fast as I did, and she did not bump into anything, though at first, there wasn't much to bump to, but as we got away from that long hall, more and more blockages were made. Long rows of books, as far as my eyes could see, and after the long library, we came across some kind of museum. Every three yards there were some priceless artifacts that almost slowed me down to a walk. The girl however, ran past me at this, and began to pull me with a sense of direction opposite where I was going.

_Well, she must know this place better than I must. She had obviously tried to escape before._ Where the idea that she had tried to escape before, I had no clue. I decided that today, I would not question anything my mind told me, because right now, it was my best friend.

The girl stopped, and I quickly released my hand. I was close to collapsing, having run without stopping for a good five minutes. We were finally outside, and it was not daytime, as the woman told me. It was getting dark. That meant I was knocked unconscious for a good fifteen hours! No wonder my stomach was making such a good argument back there.

"Hurry up and catch your breath," the girl told me, now no longer crying. "We have a few days' walk." She was still breathing as one does when one has cried. That hiccupping kind of crying, where her breath came in small increments in one inhale.

"You want to tell me what happened to you in there? And where we are going?" I asked her, some innate nurturing part in me asked her before I would scold myself for being meddlesome.

"We're going to Montgomery County. My brother lives there. I am sure the community will allow us in if we find decent clothes," she told me. _We?_ _I_ was wearing pants, a T-shirt, and a jacket. If anything, it was she. Her looking at me as if I was indecent made me look down at myself for the first time.

Apparently, I was wearing a dress even more indecent than she was. I made a face, but I knew she was evading a question.

"You still haven't told me what happened to you."

"How about this: once we're a league away, I'll tell you," she told me. Wow…even her speech was a little archaic. Was she possibly one of them? She must have seen the suspicion rise, because she looked me right in the eye and told me, "I am not a bloodsucker. I grew up in the neighboring village to their mansion. We—the village is Amish, but if I were to come in, I would be shunned for wearing this color, and wearing it this tightly, and wearing it this low at all."

"I did not know there were Amish communities in California," I told her, interested. I had always admired the Amish communities for being able to live day by day without using the technology we can't live without.

Of course, there was a time when society didn't even know electricity existed, and they survived just fine, but to think, when it is available to them, and they do not wish for it? Wow.

I realized the girl was looking at me funny, as if _I_ was crazy.

"We're not in California," she told me sternly. "We're in Pennsylvania."

_Oh God. This could not be happening.

* * *

_Oh! I seriously did not expect for it to end this way.

Well, sorry for the violent cliffhanger, but I feel it gives excitement, don't you?


	3. Killer Etiquette

"_We're not in California," she told me sternly. "We're in Pennsylvania."_

_Oh God. This could not be happening._

"Pennsylvania? What? You have got to be fucking kidding me," I told her, a little perplexed. Alright, very perplexed. But it's not my fault. She's the one who has to make me hyperventilate.

"Yes," she said, as if it wasn't obvious. "We need to get out of these clothes, and fast—" she hesitated— "Why do you think they're red?" she asked me.

_Okay_…I did not want to go there. I dared to take a whiff, and I was able to smell the slight metallic smell of it. _Blood_.

As I tried not to throw up, I thought about what my family must be feeling. I lived alone, since I moved out of their house just one month before this incident.

They had wanted me to come back home since day one, and they called every day.

They did not know I was living with my best friend. His mom has known me since I was in third grade, when I beat him up because he ran up to me and kissed me. After a long interrogation from my part (or at least, it felt long. Though I'm pretty sure it only lasted about five minutes) we decided to forgive and forget (_I_ decided to forgive and forget) and we became good friends.

Now he does all the protecting, and I…well…I do all the talking. Or I used to.

"What is the date today?" I asked, almost ready for anything.

"December 13th," she told me.

"Weren't you kept longer than I was?" I asked her. Maybe she got her days wrong I kept thinking to myself.

"Yes, I was. But I was able to see the days go by," she said, leaving it at that.

"How much longer until we reach one league?" I asked her, for lack of conversation, even if my breaths came out more labored.

"We're barely halfway," she told me, huffing only a little.

"Hmm," I said, because I was too tired to even open my mouth.

We walked in silence for about an hour. By then, my feet could no longer hold me up.

She saw me, and called for a rest. "You should have told me earlier."

"I thought I'd be able to handle it," I told her, rubbing my feet as soon as I got them out of the ridiculous boots. No wonder. The boots had a small heel, to give me more height. While it turned me from 5'3 to a 5'5, my feet hurt too much to even appreciate the nice view.

She smiled apologetically.

"We have gone at least a league, right?" I asked her, saying _league_ slowly, showing her I did not know what it meant.

She nodded. "A league is about seven miles," she told me. Her smile broadened. "We have walked about one _furlong_ past a league."

"Ahh," I say, pretending to know what she was talking about.

She closed her eyes, her face facing upwards, though still smiling. "It's about an eight of a mile."

I watched her drink in the night, and I knew this was probably the first time she has enjoyed fresh air for longer than the month I was gone. I was watching her serene face, and knew that she was gone in her own world. _I am a little sleepy_ I thought to myself.

I heard a slight rustle, and like a frightened animal, I looked at my surrounding area.

_Idiot, stop being such a paranoid twit_ I scolded myself for being scared easily when I saw a rabbit dash past the girl's hem.

Just as I finished that thought, I turned my eyes to the girl, and I saw one of the guys from earlier carrying her. She looked asleep, and I tried not to think about how she looked like she was past sleeping.

"Well, hello," he told me, smiling pleasantly, thought I could see the malice in his eyes, as his smile never did reach them.

I just looked at him, trying not ogle at his appearance. He did just kill (or, I hope at most knock the girl unconscious) right in front of me.

In the next instant, another face came right in front of me. It was the guy who got up quickly from his chair, and his eyes had a psychotic glean, and his smile was just as evil as all the others.

"Hello," he told me too, in his husky voice. The sudden proximity made me reel back, though he grabbed me by the hair, and I was forced to remain close to the bloodsucker. The close proximity made his eyes excited, and I feared the worst.

Never until now did I believe in vampires as I believe 1+1=2.

My breathing stopped. My heartbeat began to rise. The fear along with the weird adrenaline I get from being scared came.

My asphyxiation made him smile even more widely, until he showed me his teeth. Then, I was hyperventilating, trying to elude his strong, firm grasp, but to no avail.

He looked as if he was a little bored. "You didn't think you could get _away_ did you?" he asked me, as if I had just done something fatally wrong. Which I did. I had attempted to escape some vampires with an Amish girl, and yet there they were, not a sweat on them.

"Oh, we didn't run," he told me, quietly. "We just followed you. Does it feel nice to be stalked? Or does it freak you out?" he asked me, rejoicing in the fact that the girl and I did not even notice their presence.

I still could not speak, and he seemed to get annoyed with that. He gave me one annoyed look before carrying me on his back.

"No!" I shrilled. "Get me down, get me down right now!" I screamed, the first thing I had said since they had ambushed us less than a minute ago. I was not really screaming, as the fear made me sounds as if I was sick.

He kept walking, and I punched his shoulders feebly. "Stop that," he told me once.

When I didn't listen, he dropped me.

I fell with a heavy thud, and could not get up.

"Now, get up," he told me, standing above me, knowing fully well that I would not be able to.

I tried, but I collapsed back to the ground.

He stooped down, and moved my hair. I was breathing heavily. The fall had taken my breath away for a second or two.

He put his face very closely to mine, and his check touched mine; it was slightly colder than the night, and that was saying a lot.

His lips brushed my ear. "Now, would you like me to carry you?" he asked me. I thought he just wanted to show who was in charge, and that he was going to be nice just this once, but apparently, he wanted an answer.

"Do you?" he asked, teasing me, knowing that either way I would lose. I contemplated. If I said no, I would have to get up and walk, crippled as I was. If I said yes, he would carry me, but I would have voluntarily just talked to a bloodsucker.

Just as I was about to tell him no, he re-adjusted to a crouching position, and put me back in his back. "Of course you do," he said, blankly. He still scared me to no end, but this time, I was too limp to actively care.

My whole body hurt, because he pushed me off his shoulder, and I didn't even have time to block my fall. "What do you say?" he asked me coldly.

"Thank you. You say thank you_."_ I knew he would have said it eventually, but even as he said it, I felt a knot in my throat.

A killer was teaching me about etiquette.

Where is the world coming to?

* * *

You know how vampires get the girl within the first few chapters? Well, this is teasing romance isn't it?

Not. Or is it? Not. Or is it? Maybe.

I still don't have names. Just them doing what they are doing. So if you have any names, tell me! I'm not very creative with names, as my IDK screen name can tell you :/


	4. Breathing Pain

**Warning!** Very descriptive pain here. Not stuff like "My knee was shattered and I could see a thousand pieces were only one should be," but more like " did not let me breathe right," etc.

Hope it doesn't get in the way for squeamish people :/

* * *

"_Thank you. You say thank you." I knew he would have said it eventually, but even as he said it, I felt a knot in my throat._

_A killer was teaching me about etiquette._

_Where is the world coming to?_ I thought to myself. I was on the double-edged sword of consciousness. A part of me wanted to stay conscious, to somehow bravely and heroically face my death squarely, while the other part of me wanted to lose consciousness so that I never have to know mythical creatures that only exist in places like literature, music, and even fanfiction took my life away. (A/N- yea, I felt like being funny about this)

I wanted the blackness to surround me, as it did the first time I was kidnapped, but I felt this vampire in particular did not care to treat anybody nicely, even if it was to dull the pain.

Either that, or I looked like someone who abused him, and he was lashing out at me. I would rather think it was the former. However, if it was the latter, maybe I should consider playing the role of that woman. You know, resemblance, therefore replacement.

If the hypothetical case was not so hypothetical, and therefore, actually true, there was only one flaw: I needed to know a little more about the woman. An image would usually do nowadays. The dream I had of a man knocking me cold with his bare hands happened the day before I was kidnapped.

Maybe if I passed out right now, I could have a dream of her life—or my death. We walked slowly, as if the procession to our deaths was actually the worst part. Getting caught was the worst part, not the slow, long walk.

Try as I might, I could not make myself pass out. Instead, I was growing more alert by the second; though I could do no more that see my arms swing from the vampire's steady steps. I took in my surroundings, and came close to sighing, before the normal intake of breath hurt my chest. I quickly held my breath and relaxed my chest to let the pain pass.

That was a mistake. As I held it for barely three seconds, we apparently arrived to our destination. He started to let me slide carefully, but the sudden movements made me jerk and gasp.

I first felt the pain in my chest. How could I not? He had previously dropped me on my back, and the pain had spread to my entire torso. My lungs now were bursting with pain, and I wanted to cry out of it, but my alertness was only visionary, so I whimpered.

He put a hand on my side and put some pressure. It helped a little, but that his hands were cold did not. I shivered, making it worse.

"You'll get numb, and you won't shiver as much," he told me, in that quiet voice of his, serious. Had I not dared to glance in his eyes, I would have thought he was even slightly worried.

However, I still saw that manic gleam in his eye, and I realized he was talking softly to hide his excitement.

A crippled girl ready to cough up blood if she even thought of breathing slowly but deeply, trying to run for her life must get his imagination running.

_How should I play with my food today?_ He must be wondering. I quickly looked down, and heard a snort. He noticed I noticed his crazy eyes.

That these two guys who had put the Amish girl and me down were incredibly handsome did not even affect me anymore.

Thinking that made me look back to the girl, and I saw that she was breathing—barely.

I wanted to go to her, but the sucker was still holding my side, numbing it down quicker than I thought.

_Just say thank you, and pull back a little._

I started to pull away, and said "Thank you." The fact that that word was the one word he "taught" me made me angry. Maybe I should have said _my gratitude_ or something old schooled like that.

We were sitting down, and the proximity, while not as close as the clearing but still close enough to make me asphyxiated with fear, made me need to pull back. He only put more pressure. "She'll live," he told me, as if trying to calm me down.

"She somehow always does," piped in the other vampire, whose voice held a slight German accent. His deep voice actually complimented the harsh language. He had her on the ground, while he saw on a fallen tree, resting.

And here I thought vampires were invincible. Things could not get worse. They were going to rest a while, and the silence would feel awkward. I would somehow be stupid enough to start asking them questions that would only get them angry, and I would again be violently be punished into submission. Yea, things could not get worse. I was going to die because of these two vampires.

Just as I was thinking _that_ depressive thought, my stomach growled. _Of all times_… my stomach sure brought me into a lot of trouble. It brought me to the vampires in the first place by accepting the lady's breakfast invitation; it made me doubt the Amish girl because the lady said about breakfast would be served momentarily; and now, it growled as if it did not care it would cause our death.

The vampire's pressure loosened, and stood as still as inhumanly possible. He was looking at my ribs, as if checking to see if he broke some, but he just stared for a slightly long time.

Finally, he looked up, with sleepy eyes, and smiled. I never failed to notice the smile never reached their diluted eyes.

"Hungry?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, as if he was making small talk. Again, the thought that if I answered yes or no would be me willingly talking to a vampire. I just stared at him, probably like an idiot, my eyes getting big, looking like some scared puppy.

"She's breathing again," the other vampire said as he interrupted the silence.

"Alright. We move on."

Before I could even think, I heard myself say, "Wait, so _you_ were not resting?" I caught myself wondering what vampire myths were real or not and finally concluded that I probably would not want to know.

He dropped his hands from my side completely, and simply said, "No," and then smiled again. "Would you like me to carry you?" he asked slowly and deliberately, making sure I understood each and every word.

The pain did recede for the most part, but the boots would kill me in fifteen minutes, and that was if we were walking in a clearing. I did not want to fathom how long if it was in an extremely wild part of the forest, as we had been traveling these past two or three hours. We were not backtracking, and I could only hope we were going back to that mansion place, so that the girl and I could make our escape once again. But that would mean I had to be well-rested.

I breathed out a small but stretched sigh. I closed my eyes, and said "Please." This time, instead of just throwing me on a shoulder, he gave me a piggyback ride. He grabbed my wrists so as not having to grab me by my thighs. I guess he was somewhat respectful. This time, I was able to see the girl, and the other vampire carried her piggyback too, except that his hold on her was visibly tighter than how my vampire was hol—

_My_? God, I'm signing my own death sentence here. How I could have thought _my_ is beyond me.

First, he still scared the crap out of me; second, he was insane—that much is evident just looking him in the eye; and third, anyone who would hurt me just to shut me up was automatically on my hate list. And he was on it since I knew what he was.

While I was reeling at myself, I came back from my thoughts and saw the girl moving. I saw her open her eyes, and slowly register what was happening. She fidgeted violently, trying to break his strong grasp on her, but to no avail.

"Let me go bloodsucker!" she screamed a little too loudly.

"Stop fidgeting," he warned her. Suddenly I feared the worst. These vampires were not abused when they were humans—they all acted the same towards non-cooperative strangers.

"No," I pleaded with the girl, though my voice was coarse with weariness. "Please, calm down, they'll hurt you if you don't stop fidgeting."

She looked at me with her big green eyes, and noticed how I was being carried. She closed her eyes, and this time she did not smile.

"You've been tempted by the dark ones," she told me, and it eerily felt like talking to a nun or devoutly religious person.

Remembering she was Amish, I decided it was not eerie at all, it just felt weird.

"I have not," I replied quietly, thought my voice held a vehemence that expressed anger. "I was _dropped_ by the dark ones," I imitated.

Despite her religious beliefs and her constant fear, she managed to smile at my dumb remark.

I was acting all high and mighty, and yet, here we were, getting a lift from the bloodsuckers. We were still weary, so we were resting heavily on their backs, and they had not uttered a word.

The girl and I just watched each other for a good five minutes, and we communicated with each other one thing: We were going to escape again…and this time, we were leaving the boots.

* * *

A slight bit more humor, because it seems I can't stay away from it, despite trying to be serious and make it seem like these vampires are not...things...you want to even test.

Next: The actual fighting over the girls' blood.

So, did I do a good job? Review please.

Sorry if the pain is a little too detailed, but just know, I talked about it for a reason, not just to be gory-- though I bet you hardly see anything gory here, right? Right.

Also, don't expect any romance right now. Lets focus on the scary side of vampires.


	5. Extremes

"_You've been tempted by the dark ones," she told me, and it eerily felt like talking to a nun or devoutly religious person._

_Remembering she was Amish, I decided it was not eerie at all, it just felt weird._

"_I have not," I replied quietly, thought my voice held a vehemence that expressed anger. "I was dropped by the dark ones," I imitated._

_Despite her religious beliefs and her constant fear, she managed to smile at my dumb remark._

_I was acting all high and mighty, and yet, here we were, getting a lift from the bloodsuckers. We were still weary, so we were resting heavily on their backs, and they had not uttered a word._

_The girl and I just watched each other for a good five minutes, and we communicated with each other one thing: We were going to escape again…and this time, we were leaving the boots._

As soon as we both understood each other, I saw her pass out again.

Why couldn't I pass out? I needed to pass out. I was getting used to vampires around me, and that was not tolerable. Albeit, I still felt the fear, but a sort of acceptance of their existence was growing exponentially.

I wanted to escape, go back home, and day by day doubt this incident. I would never tell a soul, and that would mean no one, because there is no such thing as a person without a soul; and because I never told a soul, I would doubt even more of this occurrence, and I will live a long, normal, happy, ignorant life. I imagined how I would act, and I was so engrossed in the imagination, that I jerked back to reality when the German vampire began to speak again.

"Did she lose consciousness?" he asked, it seemed, to no one in particular. He was looking ahead the whole time, and he did not bother to address either the other vampire or me.

My head was resting on the base of his neck, so I felt the movement –though very quickly—of the neck muscles as he flipped a fringe of his hair back to see the girl.

"Yup," he said, in that ever-quiet voice of his. I wondered if he ever talked like a normal person, though that thought made me grunt with quiet laughter. He was not a normal person. Nor was the German a German. He was a _once_ German. This slang he used should not be used by him. He is not human! Then the thought that I was discriminatory made me snort even more! I was a prejudiced ignorant person, who is just as bad as the homophobes, the xenophobes, all types or race-phobes! What is wrong with me? This mentality ensued for a while, and soon, my laughter came out of my mouth.

The vampire sat me down in a nearby log, and waited for my hysterics to pass. Now I was going crazy!

I kept laughing, and this time, I bet my eyes had that same gleam these two vampires had. I was glad the girl had passed out. I did not want to see her like this. But that thought was pressed aside by something hilarious (at the time): The girl is not even a girl! I keep thinking of her as if she is a four-year-old girl when she must probably be seventeen. Something I always excelled on, detail, now was worthless. Thinking my life was not my life seemed hilarious, and my laughter started to grow louder. I was shaking so much now, and laughing too fast and too hard that the pain was slowly but deliberately coming back.

With that, I tried to calm down, but it took a while.

The vampires had sat down about a yard away from me, with their backs to me, and before I could illogically think how funny that was, I made myself stop. My hand's palm was covering my mouth, as I realized what was happening to me. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. I figured they found my laughing hysterics as funny, and were amusing themselves, but if I cried, they would shut me up.

It finally registered that I had the hysterics, and the next step, which would be inevitable, would be crying.

I kept trying to hold it in, but I was choking up; and the trembling would only make my numb chest warm up again, and I would feel the pain.

I had calmed down enough, and this time, I expected them to expect me to walk, because the mansion was now in sight. It was probably one hundred feet away, and the distance was a clearing. It would not take fifteen minutes. Maybe two or three at maximum.

I closed my eyes, and was about to slide off the trunk when I heard the vampire say, "Not a good idea. You'll break an ankle. But most importantly, you'll break the boots." _The goddamned boots_. Maybe by leaving the damned boots, they will not bother to follow us.

This time, my head cleared a little from the anxiety, I was calmer than I have been in a while, and snapped.

"Oh, God forbid I break these goddamned boots. Kill me if I do so," I glared at them. They looked at me, the manic gleam gone, but surprise shown on their faces.

The sadistic one smiled slowly, and fear came through me. I suddenly had the thought that he would say _I would kill you even if you shine those boots_, or something along those lines.

"It appears she is not scared of death anymore, Friedrich," he instead said to his fellow vampire. Wow. Had I not noticed his German accent, enough history classes have taught me that that name was a big poster board with flashing light bulbs that said "I'M GERMAN." My imagination went even further: under it, in small letters would say: "press red button to hear me say it."

I backed off a little, but lost my balance momentarily, and swung my arms to regain it. I took as deep breaths as I allowed myself, and saw that they were laughing.

"She's much more amusing that this one," the German said, nodding his head towards the girl.

"When she's asleep," the other added in. "Then, I'd say Ayelyn is."

"You suck with names," he told him. "It's Ayrinlyn."

"Ayrilyn," he corrected his friend. Wow. The girl had a nice name. Though that they were making fun of it made me mad.

"You lack respect," I said quietly. I knew now that they were not going to hurt me. Why? How should I know? I was calming down more, and I knew it was not because my body wanted to. They were the ones calming me down. That is why we stopped. Eight other vampires there would see we returned, and I'm sure they were all hungry. They were all sitting down in the dining room table after all, looking up hopefully. If I returned with my blood filled with excitement from my laughter, I might just die a violent death.

"We must respect our _food_?" he asked me, questioning my logic. The manic gleam was gone, now that we were so close to the mansion that you could hardly call it an ambush anymore. Replacing it, was a mockery.

"If you think of us as food," I continued, since I already talked to them, "then at least don't play with us."

"That would make feeding less fun," he continued. "We have read everything, seen everything, and heard everything. We need some excitement in our lives."

I bit back the retort that they had no lives. They just were.

The girl woke up again, and this time, she looked confused.

Must be wondering why she was on the ground. Must have abandoned me, she probably thought. She looked around, and saw she was close to the mansion once more. She sighed, but got up slowly, trying to shake the dirt off the dress.

"Trumped you," he said, as he got up, and once again offered to help me down and carry me.

I accepted his help to get me down the log, but not to carry me. I would walk alongside Ayrilyn, and ask her about herself.

I was determined to make a human connection.

"Suit yourself," he told me, though walked right behind me to make sure I would not try to escape. "No talking," he told me.

The girl and I looked aghast, and I felt relieved that she was not the quiet kind.

Alexander opened the door to enter, and we once again passed through the dining room, and all the vampires came out of wherever they were, and smiled.

The girl that tried to tease me into staying walked up to our vampire escorts and smiled invitingly.

"You brought them back," she said, stating the obvious.

Ayrilyn, Alexander, and I looked at them facing each other, and we looked at the vampire to see what he would say.

He smiled gently at her. "With no help from you, Siyana," he said.

"What?" she asked, indignantly. "Katrine caught that one for _us_!" she said, pointing at me, no longer pretending to act cordially.

"And she let her escape, remember? And, as I said before—" he said, his voice rising. So _that's_ what he sounded like when he talked normally… "—you did not come with me, nor did any of you all," he said, now looking at everyone.

"Therefore," he said, talking quietly again, "They will be for Alexander and myself."

"I think not," someone else said from the other side of the room. Everyone turned to look at him, and he came walking swiftly to us, and then, he grabbed me by the hair.

"She was brought for me, and it will stay that way," he said, as if he was in charge. I sure as hell did not know.

Siyana got even more angered. "Not just for you Josef," and with that, she bared her fangs at him, and hissed. Three other vampires followed her flank, and made to attack him, while he was still holding me by the hair.

What if one of them accidentally attacked me? From what I have seen, they are fast and no doubt strong too.

Before Siyana and her followers reached Josef and me, I felt my hair being released, and just as soon, being carried by the vampire that had carried me through the woods.

"Stop fighting over my food," he said, as if they were only children who could possibly do us no harm.

All the meanwhile, Alexander flanked him, and carried Ayrilyn in the same way. She looked annoyed at how she was being carried, but did not even move an inch. In a way, these two were protecting us from the other vampires. They did not have time to be even slightly desensitized from our blood, while these two followed us for hours, and carried us for hours.

Siyana and Josef looked at him (I was starting to wonder what his name was), and then looked at each other.

I could see a common goal: get rid of him and Alexander so they can fight over us. They were oh so very creative.

"There's only two of you, and eight of us," Josef said.

"No, not really," –and for lack of name, though I hate thinking it that way—_my_ vampire said, "Four of us."

"Is that so?" Josef asked, amused. "Are you really going to let those two fight?" _Would he really?_ How retarded would that be? They would only have to occupy Alexander and him with two people each, and then they could get us.

My vampire smiled. "Alexander?"

"Hmm?" he asked, bored.

"Could you bring our allies for the moment?"

I saw Alexander smile. "Sure thing."

For one thing, it got the other vampires confused. For the other, his tactic was ingenious. He lowered his numbers to one, but he also managed to sneak Ayrilyn out.

I wanted to whine _but why? They didn't just now painfully grab _her_ hair._

Alexander came back without Ayrilyn, and at first, the vampires saw this and got ready to attack, when they stopped dead in their tracks.

Two other vampires came right behind Alexander, and they looked like the badass kind of vampires. Black clothing, hats, tons of leather pouches. In fact they looked more like…

What would vampires be doing talking to vampire hunters?

"Hello, Asher," they said to –for the last time—my vampire.

"Karl, Annaliese, welcome," he said.

The other eight vampires froze on the spot. They hissed at the hunters, and one of the hunters, Karl, brought out his sword.

A _sword_? May God help him.

The other Annaliese, brought out a crossbow.

Had I not seen the vampires' reaction, I would have thought their efforts and weapons futile.

"Four to eight, huh?" Siyana said. "I still like those odds," she said dreamily, and lounged to attack us, and her flank stepped ahead of her, as if protecting her.

Annaliese shot an arrow at one of the vampires on Siyana's right. He was deterred successfully, and fell in a heap to the ground.

He did not get up.

"Go ahead," Karl told Alexander and Asher. "We'll make sure they don't get though," and then very gravely, said, "Permission, or you two will be next." Asher put me down, but grabbed my elbow as Alexander headed to the direction he went to earlier.

"We'll get it," he promised, though the fighting was giving him that gleam in his eyes again. His hold tightened, and my jaw tightened in response to keep from even saying "ow." We walked with purpose towards Alexander

As we were halfway, he asked me, "Aren't you glad it was I that came after you?"

The fear, pain, and exhaustion I felt prevented me from thinking of some smart-mouthed remark.

Instead, I truthfully told him: "I would be, if you were human."

He sighed, and looked at me. "We all have to compromise." He waited. He wanted an answer.

"I'll rephrase then. I would be, if you let Ayrilyn and I sleep."

He seemed to be thinking about it when we reached Alexander. Ayrilyn was inside still, though banging on the door.

"Let them sleep," Alexander said. "Fear would be out of their systems by then."

"This one gets an adrenaline rush when she's scared," he said, not bothering to look away as he said it.

I honestly tried not to let it scare me, but it did. And again, that excitement with the fear came up.

"I see," Alexander said slowly. I saw him swallow, as if trying to resist temptation. Once again, my stomach growled. I _still_ had not eaten.

Whatever decision of biting me in their mind was, the growling brought them back to their senses, and visibly too.

"Sleep," Asher said. "But don't even try to escape. If you do, you will wish Josef and Siyana had gone instead of Alexander and me."

I shrank back towards the door. "Sure, whatever you say," I said, hoping I might dream the map of this place. The door opened slightly, and Ayrilyn was checking to see if I was alright.

Asher brought his face closer to mine, and I could not help but stare at his diluted eyes, and wonder why they were so—for all vampires.

"See, to prevent you from following the Amish girl from escaping," he said, nodding his head in her direction, "I think you need an idea of how painful a bite feels like."

Scared, I shook my head. "That won't be necessary."

That manic gleam was back. "But it is," he whispered.

He nipped my lip with his fangs, and it probably seemed like he kissed me, from the reaction from both Alexander and Ayrilyn showed.

"Are you going to escape?" he asked me, knowing what I was going to say.

"No chance in hell," I said, before slipping into the room, and closing the door.

It took a long time to fall to sleep, but I did not dream of an escape route. I kept dreaming of fangs, and that weird electric, metallic feeling it had when it touched skin.

* * *

I had a longer recap, so I here I was trying to write as much as I usually write for the story, but got carried away. I hope you don't mind.

First, I have been saying over and over again that no romance is happening as of yet, and it still isn't. BUT! I'm honestly debating about it. If you want romance, try to convince me :)

Second, I finally picked names for most of the characters. Those who remained unnamed (except for the main character) are unimportant. Those whose names you know, expect to see them often.

Third, I have a poll. Who cares, right? Well, I'm debating what story I should continue. If you have read my other stories, and think they suck but this one is good, or whatever you think of them, go and vote. I don't know how long I'll keep ideas for this story flowing, so I want to know what readers (you) think, and want to see more of.

Aaaaaaaaaand, click the button underneath this, yes? :)


	6. At the End of the Fork

"_Are you going to escape?" he asked me, knowing what I was going to say._

"_No chance in hell," I said, before slipping into the room, and closing the door._

_It took a long time to fall to sleep, but I did not dream of an escape route. I kept dreaming of fangs, and that weird electric, metallic feeling it had when it touched skin._

Before I could dream yet another re-run of the incident between Asher and me, I woke up to the feeling of being moved. Was Ayrilyn shoving me out of her side of the bed? Or was the bed folding in half? Was I sleeping on my back, or my stomach? I opened my eyes to find out, and I see I am being moved again. _Why_? It is still _dark_ outside. I can see that the sun was finally getting close to _rise_, but that would take an hour, maybe two. I was used to getting up way _after_ the sun rose, not before.

"Rise and shine," I heard an even voice tell me. Couldn't I have woken up thinking that what happened yesterday was a dream? _Nope—you are forever to know all the horrible things that have happened to you, just because I, your mind, which makes sure you are alive and well…or at least alive, chose to never forget_. My mind and I. We don't really like each other. I thought that vampires would bring us together.

_Nope._

"What's going on?" I heard Ayrilyn say. She didn't care if vampires shut her up. She insisted on asking why they resumed to carrying her until they just told her in one simple sentence.

"Karl is wounded, and let Siyana and Josef escape," I heard Friedrich—was it Alexander or Friedrich?—say in one breath. I knew it. That sword would not be enough.

"Annaliese?" I asked. That they were vampire hunters could help Ayrilyn and me escape.

"She's fine. They are partners because Annaliese works on long distance fights, while Karl finishes off those that get close to them," Asher explained, which also helped to explain the sword. "Don't think," he continued, "That they will help you. They have made a pact with me, and we are bound to the pact."

"So that means you can't kill me," I told him, as far as I dared to go.

"No. We made this pact thirty years ago. I tell them where an enemy vampire is, they swear to help me by destroying them, and at a bonus, I tell any other vampire allies not to kill them. Security on both ends," he told me simply. I did not respond, because he made the discussion end with his tone alone.

"Are you Friedrich, or Alexander?" I asked the vampire that was carrying Ayrilyn, turning to him. He seemed the nicer kind, though I forgot he had knocked Ayrilyn cold last night. He looked at me for a while, as if wondering why I would ask something like that when I heard everyone call him by Alexander yesterday. "He—" I pointed to Asher, "—called you Friedrich while you were resting."

He raised his eyebrows in understanding, but only smiled, looking at me manically. "You mean when you flipped about the boots?"

I felt a little nervous, because I have grown to associate that smile with danger to my life, and he smiled even bigger as my fear registered in everyone. He seemed engrossed in thought, and while I just stared back helplessly, I suddenly felt like I was being dropped.

I didn't fall this time. He placed me on the ground, making sure I was steady, and then releasing me just as quickly.

"His name is Friedrich Alexander Abendroth. He goes by both," Asher told me, sternly, a little breathlessly, as though trying to hold his breath, though still looking at me.

Oh. I must have excited him by getting scared, and having the rush I get with the fear. Once again, I couldn't keep my eyes off of his. We stared at each other for what felt like a long time when I heard someone clear their throat.

I reluctantly and slowly fought my desire to keep looking in his eyes, and see Karl, bloodied and bandaged, with Annaliese helping him, but looking cautiously towards us.

"Asher…" she told him in a very warning tone.

"It's not my fault her blood gets excited every time she gets scared," he said, quietly, huskily, though still looking at me. He had been trying to make me let him take some blood. I fought very hard not to look in his eyes again, but I was still drawn to them, crazy gleam and all.

"You're still doing it," Karl told him, now starting to pull out his sword. I had to give him credit. Dried sucker blood was still there, not getting in the way of letting the sword make a sound as it was sheathed.

"Would you really try and kill me?" Asher asked Karl smiling, teasing him. But it must have worked, because the desire to look at him was only as strong as to make sure he didn't try to attack me.

"I am a vampire hunter," Karl reminded him. "And we told you that you can do what you wish with those two after we leave, not a second before." He gave Asher a dangerous look, which even sent shivers down my spine.

Asher looked indignant, but nodded his head once. "We part ways at the fork end. You will go and look for Josef and Siyana. If I find them before you do, I'll send you Friedrich again. If you find them, come together. One of you will die from inexperience from close combat, the other from lack of protection for the rear." They, in turn, looked indignant too, but only slit their eyes. What could they do? He was speaking the truth. They nodded their head once in agreement.

_We part ways at the fork end_. Last time, it took us thirty minutes to walk from that fork he was referring to the mansion.

Today, we were walking faster, but stopped, because Asher needed to "calm down." As if. I was the one that needed to calm down.

And I did. I knew it was the vampires doing that again, to make sure they didn't make a mistake in front of the hunters, but I still felt gratitude. I fought hard not to feel that though.

"I'm picking you up again," Asher warned, though he still moved too fast for me to get used to. In one motion, I was back in his shoulder, and yet I could not help but feel as if I was going to fall. I gasped, but calmed down, telling myself that I was not going to be dropped.

"Why carry them?" Annaliese asked, as if wondering if they secretly took blood from us that way. No doubt, the vampires heard that intonation too.

"They walk too slow," Friedrich/Alexander/German said. I still did not know what to call him by. I was pretty sure I thought him as Alexander before Asher even mentioned the name. Was this "dream" gift thing getting stronger? I sure hope so. I want to see if my heart will still be beating tomorrow. Or even in fifteen minutes, which would be how long we would arrive to the fork on the road.

I mulled it over, still relatively calmly, when we reached the fork. I had barely met three other humans, and two were going to leave. I was down to one, and I had not even heard how she got into this situation, which I wanted to know badly indeed.

"We're going back to the village there," Karl pointed, to a general direction, where the road went straight ahead, and I saw that we were going to go to the one where things were growing up to waist deep. Suddenly, I appreciated Asher carrying me very much.

"Right, and we head the other way then. We're going to go to the complex you told me about. See the new times the sun sets for the 28th."

"We told you," Annaliese told him impatiently, though still helping Karl walk straight ahead. "It sets at 4:45."

"You have been wrong before," he told her, through gritted teeth. My brows knitted together in frustration, trying to follow along. The only thing I actually paid attention to was Asher's behavior.

He was very laid back, though still intimidating. He got excited quiet quickly, and I wondered how he gets if he gets something he wished for Christmas when he was a little boy, but never did. He must have gotten coal every year for a while now though. He was very childish. He insisted on things –like carrying me, going to this complex, etc. It was as if he was an alpha leader. That thought brought me to thinking about werewolves. Were there such things? That would actually be convenient. They would be too busy to fight, and Ayrilyn and I could make our escape.

"Do what you wish," Karl said, ending the discussion, though looked exasperated, as if he has been through this before. Seeing from both Annaliese's character and Asher's, I knew that this was constant.

"Now what?" Friedrich asked, after we watched them walk until the bed, when they were no longer visible.

"We go to the complex. The sun is rising. We will go to that apartment you got some months back."

Friedrich put Ayrilyn down. Asher followed.

"I meant with _them_," he said, nodding his head to us, not bothering to lower his voice.

Asher looked at us. "I don't know," he admitted. "Look, Alex, I can still hold the thirst back. If you can't, just get whichever is closest. If I can't, I'll do the same."

"Alright," Friedrich said, carefully. A thought came to me that he seemed the type to get someone's confidence and then convince them to give blood; Asher looked like he scared you into submission. But both have given proof that they are still dangerous.

"Don't get us pissed," Asher warned, pointing a finger at us, though seeing Ayrilyn's reaction, I knew that she has been with them longer, and therefore, he was really talking to her.

They walked past us, and we stood where we were.

"Are you coming or not? If you stay there, there is no guarantee that there are safe wild predators out there. And you can't outrun them with what you two have on," Asher told us, not bothering to hide the fact that he looked us over.

"You expect us to walk through all that?" Ayrilyn asked, gesturing to the overgrown shrubs. I wanted to slide my hand across my face, somewhat in frustration. We could have run for it.

"Are you saying," Friedrich asked, smirking a little too excitedly, and not in a childlike way, "that you are willing to risk two vampires sucking your blood?" I didn't like the way he worded it. Maybe if he said _you guys want two vampires to carry you_ or _will you be ready to face consequences if two vampires carry you_. But no. _Two vampires sucking your blood_. Thanks for putting it so bluntly.

Ayrilyn seemed to be thinking the same thing. Soon she was thinking about something else, and suddenly, we had two vampires disappear in front of our eyes, and Friedrich was right in front of me in a flash.

"We know that look Ayrilyn," Asher said, standing behind her, one hand on her neck. "Be glad Friedrich is generally more relaxed than me, or you would have been dead a long time ago."

"I'd rather be dead than know you will use me to live," she said angrily. I admired her bravery, but I knew it would get her nowhere. No one would know; no one would see, hear, talk about her bravery. Not I, because I was going to escape, and forget this ever happened...

"Be careful what you wish for," was all Asher said. He slapped her face, and she fell to her knees.

"No!" was all I could say. I tried to fight my way to her, but Friedrich held me still. Stupid German.

Asher looked in my direction, and looked ready to shut me up too, when Friedrich put a stop to it.

"Enough, Asher," he said. The air again filled with a calming feeling.

"I am calm," Asher said, sickenly calm enough. I could not believe he hit Ayrilyn as hard as he did and still look as if he never did. It takes a while for the feeling to get in, so it couldn't have been the effect of Friedrich's power. I was pretty sure they both had the power to influence emotions and thoughts, because both have proven it to me both yesterday and today. What else could they do? Read minds?

They did not answer, and I took that as a no.

"Carry her. I might just beat her to death," Asher told Friedrich, exhausted. _Exhausted of what_? I just looked at him, feeling hate come off me in waves towards his direction. So far, he has made it seem as if vampires have no care to do good. Things that were, generally were neutral. They did things because it was necessary. He, on the other hand, did things the "easy" way, shutting us up by putting us in pain. Dropping us, biting us, slapping us. God, why was he _alive_?

He looked on my direction. His eyes were, as always, over dilated, letting too much light in. I imagined it as painful. "What?" he snapped.

I blinked. I could not think of anything, and two things were clear: he was angry, and he wanted an answer…or question. His mood terrified me because of what I knew he was capable of doing.

I blurted out the first thing that came into my mind, knowing my fear would excite him more, and what I was thinking was a bit stupid. "Do you wear sunglasses?"

The look on his face released some tension. He looked down, and I think he was laughing, though I couldn't be sure.

Suddenly he looked up, and warned me with his eyes that he was coming. As he got close, he smiled, genuinely. It was a very attractive smile. Fear escaped through every pore, because just for one second, he looked human.

"You're alright," he said, before putting me back on his shoulder.

They continued to walk; Ayrilyn seemed all right for the moment. She looked at me, and smiled apologetically. _It's all right_ I mouthed. I knew she was thinking when the two vampires suddenly moved: She was thinking of a possible way to escaping with me. I guess stubbornness eventually wins out, right?

We both sighed at the same moment, and smiled, trying not to laugh. We still couldn't get used to vampires.

* * *

Serious thanks are in order...though not in particular order.

First, to the following specific people: MyButterfly436. This girl and I have both came up with Ashes as our vampire's names. Both of them are extremely hot haha. She also tells me ahead of all of you about her story. Be very jealous. She knows what goes ahead for another story, and this one too :p. Also, because you like Asher (Come on, I know you do--I know I like him--read about Ashton in her story. He's pretty awesome too, for those of you that want to see OTPs. Her story is Sweet Seduction); Thank you Loulabelle, for reading Night Walk since day one. She has answered many of the questions I pose to you readers, helping me make this story infinitely better, even if it is .000001% better on my part :) She also recommended the origins of most of the names here (Scandinavian), and the kind advice to ignore the name Vladimir when naming my vampires. I promise I will not; And last, but certainly not least, thank you Songs From The Heart, for more names, which I have used, and also, I promised you I would name at least one boy and one girl by your names. I will use one of your boy names :)

Secondly, thank you to all of you readers, reading this right now. Like, right this second. Barely over two weeks since this story has started, and already has over three hundred views. To me, it is a lot haha.

Now, my Untitled story is winning the poll haha. I will focus on that for the moment, so expect slow updates for this. Vote on the poll if you think I should write more of Night Walk and Asher. He is what keeps me coming back to this story haha. Lame, I know.

Now, lastly, I'll go all Saw on you:

I want to play a game.

I want to see your constructive criticism. If you're down for it, tell me two things: A part you thought was good, and one you thought was bad. If there are more you think should be mentioned, by all means, tell me.

Click teh button underneath this, and play my game


	7. New Face

I want to try the new quote thing on top. They might not make sense at first, but hopefully, once you finish the chapter, or get the hints of characters, you know what I mean when I choose them. I hope that if they don't make sense, at least they'll get a laugh out of you :D

* * *

"Noise proves nothing. Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she laid an asteroid."

- Mark Twain

_They continued to walk; Ayrilyn seemed all right for the moment. She looked at me, and smiled apologetically. __It's all right__ I mouthed. I knew she was thinking when the two vampires suddenly moved: She was thinking of a possible way to escaping with me. I guess stubbornness eventually wins out, right?_

_We both sighed at the same moment, and smiled, trying not to laugh. We still couldn't get used to vampires._

We had been walking—at a relatively human speed—for about one hour. The sun was just about to rise, the red and yellow hues beautifully coloring in the clouds, and we had barely reached the outskirts of the city.

"Do you mind putting us down?" Ayrilyn asked warily. I seriously wondered how she survived that long without being killed by either Asher or Friedrich. They regarded her as a nuisance, an amusing nuisance. They did not really beat her; they just knocked her unconscious –so she would not feel the pain, and slapped her around –which is what any other kidnapper would do if someone didn't listen. I was starting to wonder if vampires could actually grow fond of anyone. That thought soon came out the window while I felt that the person carrying me was putting me down.

They could not grow find of anyone. He just proved it an hour ago by say _you are lucky Friedrich is much more patient than I am_. What? Did they say _okay, I call the Amish girl_? Clearly, we were only thought as food.

My thoughts were so confused. They were both nice when they were not in the excitement of a hunt; they both had a general sense of humor; they both walked to the edge of town instead of going in that faster speed I had seen them go through when Siyana and Josef were fighting. I started thinking of them as normal people. _People!_ As in human, and I could not accept that. I felt someone hold my hand, and with the repulsed mental state I made myself get into, I almost pulled away. I turn to face the…thing to tell him I won't run away, when I see Ayrilyn, smiling tiredly at me.

Ashamed at my would-be behavior, I smile back warmly, and tighten my hold on her.

Friedrich and Asher looked at us amused, and once again, the thought _lesbian_ popped up. Twice in one week. I tried not to stay grim. I didn't mind gays, but I certainly didn't like to see them getting spicy in front of the world, and then proclaim they are proud gays, and do not need to hide it. I always bit my lip to retort to tell them _yea, well I'm straight, should I have sex with my friend to show _I'm_ proud of it_? I quickly became annoyed just thinking about this gay guy who liked my best friend, and he wouldn't leave him alone. To make him stop, I agreed to let him tell him that we were going out. It seemed plausible. We talked every day, we had most of our classes together, and sat right next to each other. We hugged a lot, and we even held hands once in a while—though that was only when we helped each other out when there was someone we weren't interested in get the hint that we "couldn't" be interested.

But _this_ guy would not take no for an answer, and tried to make my friend "jealous" by making out with some other gay guy. And well, ever since then, I had the tendency to get annoyed when gays say _gay and proud_.

My mind set was negative enough already, and seeing that they were staring at us amusedly, I snapped.

"What?" I asked, somehow making it come out like how the Cholas talks. I even leaned my head in a what-chu-lookin'-at way.

Both Friedrich and Asher raised their hands in surrender at simultaneously said "Nothing," and they looked at each other as if I went through an alien-invasion invisible to their eyes.

They kept that mood, and then some. They gestured in that old school ladies-first way, and I walked, head high in front of them.

Of course, I began to wonder why they were being nice. Surely, they would have done something to make me know my place. Or maybe even make fun of me. We walked ahead of them for a minute or two, and every second, the paranoia increased so much, that once again, I turned around, faced them, and shamefully asked them, "Where exactly are we going?"

Their façade was very annoying. "Oh, we thought you knew where you were going," Asher said in that annoyed, sarcastic voice people use when they have used up all patience. Which I don't see why or how he could use it all up. "If you don't know where you are going, kindly," he said, with ever word getting an edge, "let us lead. We won't be wasting precious time."

"We wouldn't have been wasting time if you wouldn't have just pretended to be a gentleman and offered us to lead," Ayrilyn said, pointing her finger at him with her only free hand.

"Well then," Asher said quietly, though evidently glowering, "We'll stop you from wasting time." He walked a little too quickly than we would have thought humanly possible towards us, and we tried to keep our ground, but as he neared, we back up a bit.

"Guard the rear," he told Friedrich.

"Sure thing," he said, and I didn't want to know as to why he said it that way.

To my pleasure, he kept walking in the same direction I was going to keep going, and I tried to catch up to him, not really knowing why, but the need to talk to him grew. I sped up a little, and Ayrilyn held our hands close to her. I looked back at her and gave her my _what?_ eyebrows. She just shook her head no, telling me going up to him was not a good idea. I kept pleading her, silently, though Friedrich saw this, and he was suddenly very closely behind us. Ayrilyn looked straight across, trying not to look like she was plotting something, which she wasn't. She let go of my hand, knowing that if we couldn't see each other, Friedrich could not possibly think we were going to plot anything. I keep walking the same pace as Ayrilyn, suddenly cautious. After ten seconds, which felt like a horrible, torturous minute, I walked a little faster, trying to catch up to Asher, who was about two yards away from us.

Hearing me speed up, he walked a little slower, though I think he thought I might have tried to run for it, and he wanted me to practically run into him if I attempted to trot. He walked not in a straight line, but as if he was deep in thought, and therefore, walked every which way. I wanted to be in pace with him, but he always started to walk off line in the same way I was. I realized he was keeping me from walking in the same pace, and finally, I sighed in exasperation, and he turned his head to look at me, though kept walking. To give him credit, he walked in a straighter line when he wasn't looking than when he was.

He looked at me expectantly, as if I was going to say something to him, and I would walk back to Ayrilyn. I surprised him by staying quiet and walking in pace with him. I felt awkward, and couldn't seem to find the words to phrase my question. Would it annoy him? Would he deny my request, because it was his plan all along, or did he just forget human limitations?

"Ask away," he told me quietly, as he always spoke, though he made me jump.

"Is there any way we—" I couldn't continue the question, and I couldn't think of a way without bringing _his_ "hunger" into the picture. Though leaving my question to linger must have processed differently for him.

"I thought you were scared of me," he said, bemused. I could not believe he thought I was implying _anything_ of that sort. I quickly shook my head, and took another deep breath. My empty stomach panged in protest.

"That is not what I meant," I said, a little annoyed at his ability to act so much like an immature teenager. It gave me strength to ask what I wanted—needed—to ask. "I meant if there is any way if Ayrilyn and I could eat. I know I have not eaten in almost three days."

"One day which we are not accountable for," he said, looking straight ahead. I sighed, already giving up. I was about to slow down and let Ayrilyn, who was now also quickening her pace trying to keep a distance from Friedrich, catch up to me, when he said, "We have food in the apartment."

"I hope you mean 'food' as in food that we –humans—can eat," I said, a little too meanly. I wanted to take that back, but he just shrugged in that _I don't care_ kind of way. I still felt horrible. Can vampires have hurt feelings? Whether he was human or not, I could never stand hurting someone, even if it was something as trivial as this.

"We had Karl and Annaliese stock it with food for you guys before they came to help us fight off Josef and Siyana. There should be enough for you three for a week, maybe more." I stopped at the last part. My emotions went from wanting to hug him in appreciation to some kind of fear. I didn't understand that when he said three, he meant three _humans_, not us three: Ayrilyn, Friedrich, and myself.

He saw my horror, and smiled a little excitedly. His over diluted eyes seemed on the brink of getting that crazy gleam again.

"I mean three humans," he said, composing himself, and the manic gleam was gone. Hungry, weak, and scared, I almost collapsed with relief. He grabbed my waist to give me support, but through the dress' material, I could feel his icy hands. I put a hand on his elbow, and tried to push away kindly. "I'm alright," I said dizzily.

He kept his hand there, and said, "If you don't want a vampire touching you, say so." I was going to protest, though I knew he knew that was the reason I was composing myself so quickly. I looked into his eyes, I could almost see him daring me to see how long I could stand a vampire's touch directly, unlike when he carried me, and I could at least say that only my torso was having contact with him. Now, it was one entire side, from the shoulder to my thigh.

I looked down, and trying to find the nicest way to say it, I said quietly, almost in a whisper, "You scare me, is all. Maybe if you acted kinder, I might not be."

"That is definitely one of the nicest things you have said to me since we met," he said jovially, as though he was not a vampire, but as if he was someone I met who started in the wrong foot. But because I told him, he let me go. I noticed just how much support he actually gave me when he released me, and I fought with myself to keep my balance.

"Lovebirds," Friedrich said, in that unmistakable German accent of his, "the apartment is 8B." I could feel my face getting ready to flush, though it never did, and I could almost swear that upon saying that Asher brought in a new tension, which was not there before.

Asher uttered something along the lines of "Don't ever say that again," though I could not be sure.

It quickly left my mind, as I started to think of what I could possibly cook. I seriously wondered how long it would take me to make about six enchiladas for myself, I was that hungry. Deciding it would take too long, I decided to ask if they had any microwavable Mac 'n' Cheese. We were nearing the apartment, and there was someone in front of the apartment, locking it from the outside. Escape plan number one went through the window in a painful thrust. He turned around, and yet again, there was another vampire.

"Asher," he said, and he flicked his eyes towards me, glancing at me apprehensively. "You got yourself a nice one. What happened to the Amish girl you two grew fond of?" I hope the vampire meant of me as _a nice one _as food, and nothing else, as repulsive as it may sound. I hoped that when he said Amish girl, he meant Ayrilyn, and not some other one that they found and—well, fed before I came along. It might ruin my appetite.

"Don't you think?" Asher said conversationally. "And the other one is right behind us."

"Are you sure? Maybe she escaped again," he said. Again with the jokes…

"Nope. She is just weak," Friedrich said.

"Hello, Alexander," the other vampire said. I was beginning to think that these vampires took advantage of many covens, and made enemies. Why else would they have joined Katrine's coven? Or maybe Katrine was just a flea market blood gatherer? The latter made much more sense.

"Hello, Ziek," Friedrich said. He looked at the door, or it appeared he did. "I see you got yourself some food too," he said, almost bored. I honestly wondered what made him tick. The curiosity was so fresh and tantalizing that I wanted to find out, one way or another. I noticed I was developing fatal tendencies.

"Yea, I took your advice and set out in the Amish community. This girl actually thought it was 'cool,'" this Ziek said, with quotations around the word cool, "that I was a vampire."

The vampires on my team raised their eyebrows, and looked at us as if we should be following this girl's example. As if. She must have been suicidal.

Pushing me by the small of my back, Asher said to Ziek, "Well, she will soon know the real deal with vampires, won't she," and then turning to me, he whispered in my ear, "Please don't make the carrying sound romantic. Vampires get tired of being the subject of falling in love with humans." I was happy to agree with that, especially after the "lovebirds" comment Friedrich pulled earlier.

Asher opened the door, and began to shove me in, while the girl that was inside began to shove _me_ to get out. An "oww" escaped from my lips as she elbowed my pained torso, still sore from the drop, and Asher pushed the girl back in the apartment effortlessly. He pushed me in, kindly compared to how he shoved the girl, and Ayrilyn came right behind me as well. The door closed, and the girl, dressed like a normal Amish girl, without the red slutty dresses that we wore, disregarded us, and began to beat the door futilely, screaming, "That is not very gentleman-like, you horrible bloodsucker! I thought you were from the old times. Didn't your mother teach you manners? Just wait until I escape! I'm going to tell everyone that vampires are not NICE!" she screamed, shrilly at the last word, turned around, and slid to the floor.

Ayrilyn looked as if she recognized the girl, which I'm sure she did. I hear Amish communities are very close-knit.

"Taelia?" she asked, though she knew it was she, but wanted to make sure she was real.

"My name is Charity," she said, annoyed at having to repeat it so many times no doubt.

"No, it's alright. She is not a vampire. She's human," Ayrilyn said, and got closer to Taelia.

"Humph. Could have fooled me. Did you see the way the vampire shoved me back as soon as she said 'oww?' My auntie got kidnapped by a vampire once, and he let her go because they fell in love."

"That's ridiculous. Your auntie is barely twenty-two, and has been married for like ever."

"Five years is not ever," Taelia said. "I'm telling you, she got kidnapped. I'm not supposed to tell anyone, so don't say I told you." With that, I decided that she reminded me of Yenta, the Matchmaker from _Fiddler in the Roof_. Though I must say, there were exceptional differences. For one, the girl must have been about nineteen. She was definitely prettier, and struck me as the town gossip, though by no means an adventitious twat.

What she has said earlier made me brighten up. "Did you say escape?"

"Yes. I hear vampires can't stand daylight," she said, as if I was a naïve child that needed patient explanations. I honestly doubted that. I changed my schemas about vampires since I saw Katrine's eyes over diluted. I bet they were just blinded, and the light in their eyes was too much for their eyes to see appropriately. Of course, I was not about to tell her that. She might take it that I was close enough to a vampire because we were making out…which brought me back to another memory, though that quickly became barricaded once I thought about the possibility of escape.

"Alright then," I say, and walk around the apartment. We explore each room, break a window, and get out of here."

Taelia shook her head. "Not with what Ayrilyn has on. She will be shunned for _ages_," she said, with no remorse.

"I'll look for clothes for the both of us then," Ayrilyn said to me. "It looks like we're the same shape."

"Thank you," I said, and started to the rooms.

I tried the first one, and it had a nice window, though trying to open it was impossible. I looked for any way it might open, but to no avail.

"I tried that already," Taelia said, bored. "The windows that do open have bars."

"Great," I said, and collapsed. She ran to me, and asked if I was okay.

"I have to be," I said, and got up. I looked in the pantry, and triumphantly pulled out the Mac 'n' Cheese I had wanted for so long. In ten minutes, the aroma filled the small place, and Ayrilyn came into the room, hunger evident, but also disappointment.

"No clothes! All there were was pants and short shirts!"

I selfishly thought that they were good enough for me, but food kept my mind in the right place.

I served us all food, and we ate.

Taelia was about to take a bite of her Mac 'n' Cheese, when she asked nonchalantly, "So, how did you two gals get in this situation?"

I looked at Ayrilyn, the veteran from the three of us. She looked as if she was cornered, and slouched in defeat.

"Swear you won't tell _anyone_, not even the parishioner," she said, in such a serious voice, that I wondered if she seeked them out. It seemed unlikely.

"Ooooooh," Taelia cooed, knowing what she was about to hear was good gossip. "I promise not to tell a soul."

"I was walking with Wyatt to the store after curfew, and—" she said, until interrupted by Taelia.

"Isn't that your best friend's boyfriend?" she asked, in suspense.

She looked at Taelia, and although the room was very poorly lit, you could see her threatening glare.

"Which is why you must promise you won't tell _anyone_."

I was no gossip, but even _I_ knew this was good.

* * *

Ahh. More vampires, and more people for our still nameless main character to meet. I decided to add drama to Ayrilyn's life, because I notice I only write about her when the vampires are violent. I feel bad, so next: a (as always) detailed chapter about Ayrilyn's involvement with vampires. I'm not good with gossip, so I hope that at least some comedy might make up for it :D

See, the idea sprang from one particular person who said she wanted to beat Asher's butt. You know her as Taelia in the story, and for those who have talked to her in real life on fanfic, you know her as Songs From the Heart. I couldn't just let her beat Asher up. I see him as too nice :p So now, I feel she deserves the spotlight, and have her be...well...I see her as funny, so I can't let Asher beat her up. He will make her blush u.u That's my decision.

Because it's Thanksgiving Break, and I will be wanting to put off my homework for as long as possible, expect updates constantly.

So, you know my game: one good thing, one bad thing; two good things, two bad things; one good thing, three bad things, whichever the ratio, tell me what you thought of this chapter. Though I do hope you all like Taelia. I certainly do :)


	8. Ayrilyn

_I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way._

_- Mark Twain_

"_Swear you won't tell anyone, not even the parishioner," she said, in such a serious voice, that I wondered if she seeked them out. It seemed unlikely._

"_Ooooooh," Taelia cooed, knowing what she was about to hear was good gossip. "I promise not to tell a soul."_

"_I was walking with Wyatt to the store after curfew, and—" she said, until interrupted by Taelia._

"_Isn't that your best friend's boyfriend?" she asked, in suspense._

_She looked at Taelia, and although the room was very poorly lit, you could see her threatening glare._

"_Which is why you must promise you won't tell anyone."_

_I was no gossip, but even I knew this was good._

"Continue," I pressed, since I had wanted to know how she got into the hands of vampires since I first met her. She seemed the type to avoid them adamantly, despite their drop dead good looks.

"Right," she said, knowing that I wanted to know for _her_, and not for the sake of gossip, as Taelia seemed to want to know.

"Right," she repeated, and threw a smile at me. "We were walking to the store, and he was telling me about his plans on what to buy Anne for her birthday. She had been eyeing this perfume for a while now, and—"

"We can't wear perfume," Taelia interrupted once again. "She would be shunned!" she said, with that gossipy voice she had. Don't get me wrong, when you are made the gossip of town, you know how to get into the role quickly, with no help at all. She seemed to be the inherited gossip. No doubt her mother was one too…

"Which is once again, my dearest Taelia," Ayrilyn said patiently. You still want the town gossip on your side, after all, "you will not tell another human being, even if you are tortured, or tried to be persuaded by those handsome blood suckers."

With that, Taelia blushed violently. Whoa! She did not seem the shy type. She gaped her mouth, trying to find something in defense, though she must have realized she gave herself away by trying to think of a way out when Ayrilyn didn't even blame her for finding any of the vampires attractive. Ayrilyn smiled evilly then.

"I'll tell you what," she said slowly, deliberating her words, "I'll tell you what happened, and you will stay quiet. You say anything, I will tell your mother about your affinity to blood suckers. Do we have a deal?"

Taelia's eyes grew wide as she took this in. "What? No! You must not tell her anything that happened today! Or what I may think, which you know is true. They are still _men_ after all," she said, highly defensive. I sighed. What she said was true. They were _fine_, but she didn't know what they were capable of. She didn't see her close friend get knocked unconscious by the very vampire that would soon feed off of her; she did not enter the goddamn dining room to find her crying in snot…which brought me back to wanting to know the story.

However, my sigh did not pass unnoticed by Taelia. "You like him, don't you?" she asked, more statement than question.

I looked at her squarely in the face. I was a good liar when I needed to be…not that I was going to lie right now…completely. "No, I do not like him. If you only knew what he has done to Ayrilyn and me, you would see why I would not have a hard time not liking him."

Ayrilyn looked at me incredulously. "He _kissed_ you. That was _it_!" I completely forgot she had passed out when everything else went on. Taelia's eyes bugged, threatening to come out. She daringly asked me, "Was he good?" a little too hopefully.

"He did _not_ kiss me. He _bit_ my lip. They knocked you unconscious, so you didn't see what he did to me. He _dropped_ me to the ground, tried to force me to talk to him, supposedly taught me etiquette, and scares me _on purpose_ just so they can smell the fear and adrenaline I get." I hissed at them, mad that she would assume I have had it easy. If anything, _she_ has had it easy. Passing out as she wished, actually talked about like a normal girl when normal guys talk about someone they liked instead of _food_, like they did since they first set eyes on me.

"You think I have had it easy, don't you?" she told me, understanding in her eyes. "It's not true, you know.

"This Alexander vampire _knocked_ Wyatt out…I think he killed him…" she said, coming close to tears.

Well, now I felt like a bitch. I felt so horribly, that I almost wanted to go to her and hug her. I stopped myself, because I didn't really know how much her crying was _real_. Back in the mansion, she cried, snot came running down her face, but as soon as we were a distance away, she was no longer crying. Could she have been faking it? I didn't know, and I wanted to find out.

"Oh, Ayrilyn, don't cry," Taelia cooed, trying to comfort Ayrilyn. "Wyatt was found unconscious, yea, but he only had a concussion. He's still in the hospital, but he'll be okay."

Ayrilyn seemed to sigh in relief, and nodded, to show she understood. She looked at me, and sensed I wanted to hear the rest.

"Anyways, Alexander dragged me to the woods, while I tried to get away from him. As you can see, it didn't work out very well. He threatened to beat me up to a bloody pulp. I didn't care if he killed me. I tried to fight my way back to the village and scream bloody murder—"

"Why didn't you?" I interrupted. It seemed logical after all.

She smiled. "Would it make sense to say that I think more as a unit with my community that alone?" she asked me, smiling, as if used to such questioning. Well, _that_ made sense…

She continued. "I kept tugging until he turned around, and pulled his whole height on me. That scared me a little. I almost whimpered, but I made myself stay strong, because I guess it would have shown cowardice on my part.

"He explained to me that I would be used as a 'gift' for a banquet he and two other groups were having, and I was the lucky girl," she scoffed. "I followed," she said, sighing heavily. "Crying silently, because I was just realizing the problem I had gotten myself into by walking with Wyatt—"

Once again, she was interrupted by Taelia. "Do you and Wyatt have a special something going on?"

Ayrilyn sighed. She was going to tell us the truth, I just _knew_ it. Though I didn't think they had relationship beyond friendship, they definitely had a special connection that would be hard to just shrug off, girlfriend or no. What was jarring, though something I was quickly being accustomed to, was that she used almost the same words to tell us.

"No, we would never betray Anne like that. It's just that we have this special connection that is hard to shrug off," she said quietly, and I knew this was something she would have never shared with Taelia in any other circumstance.

"Ahh, I see," Taelia said, and in her way, it meant so many things: _I understand_, and _I will not tell anyone because I understand what you mean_, and lastly, _continue_.

"Right. Anyways, he kept giving me these hungry glances, and in a way it was a good and bad thing," before one of us could ask _how_ a hungry glance could be a good thing, she held up a hand, telling us she meant to specify. "One the one hand, it meant he needed to _feed_," she said the word almost in disgust, "but on the other hand, it meant that they would not do _other_ stuff to me…" she let the sentence trail off, letting us take in what she meant.

I looked at the ground, and remembered fearing something exactly like that, though they quickly proved they had no intentions of doing so.

"Were you taken into the castle before or after sunset?" I asked, wondering if vampires could stand the daylight. It might prove crucial later on when we would escape.

"Before. They can stand the sunlight, though they seem to go painfully blind, though I don't know why," she turned to me, "Do you? Seeing as how you have gotten close to them several times."

"Their eyes are over dilated. I guess it explains their excellent eyesight during the night, and their blindness during the day," I said, ignoring the intonation. Their hypothesis was really getting annoying…

"Well, they were waiting for us, and I saw another girl. I don't think she knew what was going on," she said, slowly, remembering the events.

"That blood sucker that grabbed you by the hair, Josef, was…seducing her. She had the face of…pure ecstasy," she said, though she stopped, as if just thinking why she was feeling like she was was sin.

"She was passed around all them: Josef, Katrine, Sayira, Asher, Alexander…the other blood suckers that were probably only followers just stared at the girl hungrily, and they looked at me, when they heard my arrival—" she shuddered "—but come to think about it, Alexander did something in their direction. I don't know what, and they stopped looking as if they wanted to eat me at the spot.

"The girl, she—she—she was being bitten by all of them, the pain in her face was visible, and she tried to run away, realizing that Josef and Asher were really feeding off of her—they shoved her into the direction of the other blood suckers and they…" suddenly, Ayrilyn was gasping, in the verge of a breakdown. I could only stare at her, wondering what horrible things she must have witnessed. My face—and upon looking at Taelia's—must have been that of shock, because for a moment, we just sat there, watching Ayrilyn's careful composure crack. Taelia was debating what to do: comfort her by saying it's all right, everything is in the past now, or just hold her until she calmed down, or let her have her own space—though that would have been impossible, considering the apartment was incredibly small.

"I'll see if we can get changed out of these dresses," I said quietly, leaving Taelia to do her own thing; I felt Ayrilyn needed time to be alone. She seemed the type to not let her emotions show that often. She nodded, forgetting she already decided nothing she found was wearable.

I went into one of the two rooms that was not the bathroom, and found a closet with black tee shirts and faded jeans. The jeans were too big for me, and I let that slide. The shirts were already a bit too big for me, and reached mid-thigh. I got another shirt, not really looking at the stuff on them, and tried to hand one to Ayrilyn.

She had stopped crying, and her face was only a little red, even though I only left her a minute ago to get the clothes. She extended the shirt, and upon looking at the design, she looked a little timidly at me and said, "I'm not allowed to wear these kinds of shirts." She handed it back to me, and I looked at the design: the band KISS was there, with their faces painted and everything. I looked at the shirt that I was about to put on on top of the dress, and saw another band, Avenged Sevenfold. Whoever's this was, had good taste in music, but I felt sorry for them. The vampires probably killed the person who loved these bands, and we were going to wear a dead person's shirts. I tried to shove that out of my mind, and insisted that she wear it.

"But why won't you wear the shirt? You were complaining about the dress…"

"The dress was put on me by the Katrine lady. Upon seeing it, I scratched, pulled hair, punched…she slapped me unconscious," she rubbed her left cheek, "It seems it's a favorite vampire method to shut me up.

"Now _that_ shirt…it's the devil's music," she said, as if it was ingrained in her, though she wouldn't have cared less, she accepted what her community told her.

"Nonsense," I said, "Avenged Sevenfold, it is a biblical reference."

"About Cain. I don't think they have a positive influence," Taelia said, as if she too only regurgitated what her community told her.

"They are not bad at all," I said, a little defensively. I listened to Avenged Sevenfold, and they hardly talked about anything evil; just truths of the world. Now, I didn't know a thing about KISS, but yea…

Before they could reply, the door banged open. The vampire Ziek stormed in, looking for Taelia, and he grabbed her by the elbow aggressively, telling her to hurry up and that they had to leave.

"Let me go!" she said, her fight or flight reflexes surfacing.

"No time to fight. We leave now! Sayira and Josef have a whole shitload of allies with them, _and_ they are fighting separately," he said, looking at us, knowing we would understand the situation better than Taelia. "I suggest you two run for it before they get here. They are running in a normal pace. You just have to run a little faster to grow the distance, and then hide."

"Excuse me, but you are the company of ladies. You should not talk that way," Taelia said, crossing her arms, her culture running deep in her veins.

Ziek smiled, becoming charming to get her to cooperate. "Right, sorry my lady," he said bowing. Taelia blushed a deep red. If we come across again, I might just have to make fun of her for that, to get her back for all these accusations. "I did not mean to speak so vulgarly. Now, let's go," he said, dropping the facade as soon as she agreed to follow. I finally understood the possessive thing: Their toy, no one else's. Vampires were incredibly immature.

We turned to run, the Avenged Sevenfold shirt still in my hand, though long forgotten, and Ayrilyn grabbed my other free hand.

Just as we were reaching the complex Asher talked about so adamantly, we collide into two people.

And of all people, they were Karl and Annaliese.

_We're saved_ was my first thought. My second one was _idiot, run!_

Once again, I did not know what to do. This situation shouldn't, couldn't, wouldn't get worse.

"Give them to us," I heard someone say behind us. I close my eyes in defeat. I turn around slowly, and face the voice. I open my eyes, and closed them again in a flash after seeing what was in front of me. Josef and about another ten vampires look boredly at us.

"Give them to us," Josef repeats. "They were brought for me, and Asher and Alexander can't overturn that, whether or not they retrieved them."

"I think not," I heard another voice, more dreamy than the rest. I clench my jaw. Now we only needed Asher, and the fight for our blood would truly be the war they were making it be.

We stood closely to Karl and Annaliese, and they once again took out their weapons. The sword Karl pulled out must have grown while we were apart. Up close, the thing looked _huge_! Annaliese brought out her crossbow, and it looked magnificently gleaming, despite it's black color. It looked ominous, as if nothing could beat it. The first vampire to make a move was a fledging, just like the last time.

"Get down," Annaliese said, her tone commanding. We quickly obeyed, knowing that they were protecting us for the moment. She shot the vampire down, and just like the last time, it did not move.

Josef hissed. His numbers went from ten to nine. Two simultaneously attacked, and Annaliese released two arrows very quickly, as if it was no trouble.

I stared at awe at her calm figure, and turned to Karl, to see what he was doing to be useful.

He had his sword out, daring anyone to get close. One of Sayira's fledgling did get close, and it payed with its head. It did not move once it hit the floor either.

Back to back, they were slowly but sure fighting the two's flanks. Why did Ziek worry? Karl and Annaliese had it under control.

Once it was only down to Josef and Sayira once again, Annaliese turned her head to Karl. "Go help Asher, and see if Friedrich needs help."

"Wait, what?" I asked, in complete shock. I couldn't picture Asher injured. He seemed the obsessed kind with violence to have a blind spot.

"Low blow," she said, still commanding and in control. "One of them made Asher look as if he was breaking a human law while in the complex. He's in jail—" she shot Josef, and almost missed him. He fell to the ground, and Sayira looked alarmed. Annaliese shot at Sayira, but she was gone before I could even blink.

"Take her," she nodded in my direction. "He will need an alibi." She kneeled, her brown hair surrounding her face. "You better make it realistic. I do not want to have to pretend I am his sister of wife again. I'll give you the honors today." She grabbed my shoulders and helped me up.

I stare back in horror. Now I have to help the person who was behind this complex situation?

"No way," I said defiantly. With both vampires gone, I felt as if I could take on any human.

Karl pressed his sword on my neck. "Do it or we might just break the rules this once, and give you to him in a platter." I seriously hope that is the adrenaline from the fight, and not the vampire hunter who sohuld be protecting _me_ not a _vampire_.

I was too scared to even gulp. "He brought himself into the situation by coming here," I said.

"He did it to make sure nothing would hurt you two. Seems he is growing fond of his food when he plays with it long enough."

Annaliese looked back at me. "Do it, as gratitude." Her voice commanding as ever.

I was defeated. I knew it before I even spoke. "Fine, fine. In gratitude." The sword went back into its sheath, and I grabbed my neck, glad it was still intact with my body. This was going to be a long day. And not even an hour had passed since we got here.

I turn to look at Ayrilyn, and she looked amused. She would want to see my acting skills with helping Asher out. I knew what relation she wanted me to play, and I suppressed both a grimace and an exasperated sigh.

_Yup. It's going to be an incredibly _long_ day_.

* * *

So, I was telling a friend or two that I kept imagining Asher being put in jail, and one of them saw the same exact thing that I did, so I just HAD to do it...plus that...and she threatened me haha.

Anywho, thank you both MyButterfly436 and Songs From the Heart...you help me relax and share my crazy ideas.

Loulabelle, I miss your input, quite honestly. You also helped me make it exciting.

Anyways, I think some explanations are in order. I chose KISS and Avenged Sevenfold as the bands not because I love them (though I do love A7X), but because: first, a friend told me that a friend told _him_ (hmm..the mysterious friend) that KISS was Jewish. Now, from what I heard, I seriosuly doubt that haha. And I chose Avenged Sevenfold because my sister said she actually heard a song from them! My mouth gaped for a few seconds, but I made a A7X playlist while writing this chapter, so their influence stuck. That, and our likeable (;]) Amish girls can show beliefs. (Ahem, I must say, I have nothing against Amish people, just to get it out there, neither anything against Germans. On the contrary, I find the Amish admirable, and the German language...sure, harsh, but amazing. I wish I knew German)

So, I want to share the music that gets me going, because...music is just wonderful, don't you think? I do. I'll put them in **bold_._** I want to see if you can recognize the lyrics ;)


	9. What Goes Up Must Come Down

Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down.

- Jimmy Durante

_I was defeated. I knew it before I even spoke. "Fine, fine. In gratitude." The sword went back into its sheath, and I grabbed my neck, glad it was still intact with my body. This was going to be a long day. And not even an hour had passed since we got here._

_I turn to look at Ayrilyn, and she looked amused. She would want to see my acting skills with helping Asher out. I knew what relation she wanted me to play, and I suppressed both a grimace and an exasperated sigh._

_Yup. It's going to be an incredibly _long_ day_.

**With my back against the wall,** I let Karl and Annaliese lead the way, and I slumped. My perfect chance to escape, destroyed, because these goddamned vampire "hunters" didn't have the _cajones_ to face their leader –whom, I might add is a freaking _vampire_—and tell him that they just let us go. My thoughts were so absorbed in this, and the feeling was that of anger, something I have not been able to feel safely for about three, four days now. How could they expect me to bail him after all he has done? Not just to me, but everything he has done to Ayrilyn as well. Friedrich was an entirely different thought, because he honestly never did anything _that_ revolting. Or maybe I thought that because he never really did anything to me, except smile at me creepily. It brought my attention to Ayrilyn. Did she think the same of Asher as I did Friedrich? Must be, because she seemed terrified when Ziek came back and brought more news, which I must admit brought an amused look on _my_ face.

Taelia was there, and she did not mind how close she really was to the vampire. True, there was no _contact_, but something about Ayrilyn's comment to her affinity to "blood suckers," as she so mildly put it, made me think that she would be interested to hear the vampire's side of the story. She looked at us, and waved enthusiastically.

"We thought you'd make a run for it," Karl said. "You never did stand your ground."

Ziek looked insulted. That he didn't do anything furthered Karl's claim.

"Let's just go bail the dumbasses out," Annaliese said. I looked at her, surprised.

"You really don't know anything about any one of us, do you?" she asked, amused. "If I told you something about him, that does not concern him as a vampire, would you see him any differently?" she mused.

I thought about it, thinking it might be something extreme, like he's gay or something.

I suppressed a snigger. Yea, I can be very immature when in normal circumstances. "Shoot," I told her, waiting to see what she had to tell me. She smiled. She knew I expected something big, but knew I would never expect what she said.

"Asher is Karl's little brother," she said. My jaw dropped. If it was safe, and done often, I think I might have dislocated it to show the amount of shock I felt upon hearing this. The vampire was a vampire hunter's sibling?

"And you are…?" I asked, waiting to see what she would say.

"His sister-in-law," she said, a little too mildly, making me deduce that they didn't get along, their conversation in the forest further strengthened the idea. Though that Annaliese and Karl were together, risking their lives and traveling together made it kind of romantic. However, the news I had just received was so gossipy, and I was in the mood for gossip. Taelia, with her high spirited interruptions made sure of that.

I turned to Karl. "Brother, eh?"

"Yes, brother. Which is why, if anyone else is available, I would rather use them to bail him out than her, seeing as how the acting has to be very convincing."

My eyebrows rose. The "Cali girl" in me came out, trying to say what he meant with words, and not incoherent thoughts I constantly made in my head whenever it was complex. "As in, like, lovey dovey kind of acting?" It seemed to amuse them all.

Ayrilyn grinned. "You really are from California, aren't you?" That she remembered my small comment the day we had managed to escape blew me away. I would have forgotten it the moment it was out her lips if she said anything like that. Of course, the situation right now is different, and you want to remember things, to, you know, ignore them.

I smiled. The rich Malibu girl dialect in full power. "Like, yea." With danger out of the way, I managed to act as I did in normal circumstances: immature. Of course, I knew when to be immature. I think…

Karl raised an eyebrow, evidently not thinking me capable of joking. "Like," he said, imitating me, his voice making it sound funnier than he could ever intend it to be, "yea. Like ohmigaw. Here, wear this," he said, still imitating the rich girl thing.

I looked at what he was holding, something shiny and looked fragile, compared to his gloved hand. I looked at it, and it was a ring. _They sure go all out_, I thought, not really in the mood to argue against it. Instead, I smiled. _Let them think what they want_ I thought, as a plan was forming in my head. I had a ticket out.

.x.x.x.

I put the ring on, though it was a little loose. Whatever. I was not going to wear it for long anyways. Ayrilyn had a harder time accepting her ring. Karl tried to threaten her too, but she stood her ground.

"I will not even say I have had a holy matrimony with something so unholy," she said, being a little too orthodox. I wanted to snigger, once again. Karl and Annaliese looked to be the type not to really believe in religion, so they didn't know squat about orthodox and normal people. I had a feeling Ayrilyn took any advantage she could of her society and religion. And I couldn't blame her; I would do the same thing, but darn, I was Roman Catholic, and not a practicing one.

"Why are you still following the rules when no one is watching? You're supposed to be a teenager! You're supposed to be rebellious!" Karl was saying. Ayrilyn looked at me, for support no doubt. I already knew what I was doing, and I only raised my eyebrows at her, as if saying _what?_

She looked a little mad, and I couldn't blame her. I know I would be if the person I would most likely turn to for help turned her cold shoulder. She sighed, and took the ring.

Karl looked relieved, and threw me an appreciative look. I only stared back blankly, and he looked back towards our new destination, shocked: One moment, I was being immature and even helping him, and the next I was being a bitch.

I noticed I held something in my hands, and looked down to see what it was. It was the shirt, and I recognized it as the same one my friend had. It instantly helped me feel better, even if I knew the shirt was not really his, I felt him close by.

Ziek had allowed Taelia to come on over to us, and talk. I wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying, because I was working up my speech as to what to tell Asher. Would he really attack me in front of the police if he found my preposition unfavorable? Would he readily agree?

_Well_, I said to myself while taking in a very big deep breath. _Only one way to find out_.

I looked up at the building that held both Asher and Friedrich…I guess hostage, seeing as how they probably didn't break any human rules…except kill. The building looked a little bright, as if inside, it contained the very sunshine itself. It was probably my positive attitude at the thought of liberation. I smiled. My musing was very contradictory today.

Annaliese and Karl told us they would stay outside because of their attire and all the weapons they carried. They told us what we had to know: their first names, middle names (if any) and their last names.

"Right," I said, trying to memorize the name I was about to give to the police officer up front. _Asher Benjamin Kilbourne_. The last name was a little funny, but I find out it is actually his last name.

"Everything is real?" I asked, incredulous. I always thought no vampire used his or her real name.

"Yup," Karl said, looking Ayrilyn and I over as if there was a problem. "You," he pointed at Ayrilyn, "Have make up running. I suggest you clean it up. And you," he said, pointing at me, "your makeup is fading."

I grimaced. I didn't know how to put make up on without a mirror. I looked at Annaliese, and I saw her pull out something familiar. "My bag!" I exclaim, nearly tackling her to get it. I opened it. Everything was in there: iPod, money, cell phone…I shook my head in concentration. I would rather leave on a somewhat good note than fear my whole life every shadow. I also spotted my eyeliner and dark eye shadow. It would not match the ridiculous dress I had on, but whatever.

I pulled out my mirror and inspected my face. Overall, it only looked tired, and somewhat gaunt. Whatever. My makeup, was in fact starting to fade, so I cleaned myself up and reapplied my eye liner. Ayrilyn was looking at me as if she was curious to willingly put some on, but would rather play it safe. I had a sudden estrogen upheaval or something, because I offered her to put some makeup on. She thought about it momentarily, and closed her eyes, waiting. I quickly applied the makeup, and when she opened her eyes, she looked like a completely different person. Her green eyed were brought out by their vividness, and her eyes seemed bigger, as if innocent, and demanded protection. "The color brings out the gray in your eyes," she told me. I blushed a little. People said I have gray in my hazel eyes, but I could never see it. "Thanks," I said, out of formality.

Ziek came back. Apparently, he had disappeared. He handed us both a jacket, and I put it on, appreciatively. The exposure the dress had was getting me on my nerves.

Ayrilyn and I took a deep breath, and walked into the police station. It was empty, and because it was a small town jail, only a few were made, so Asher actually had a cellmate. However, Asher was busy trying to look small. He was curled up in the corner, his arms around his knees, his head resting on his arms. He didn't make an attempt to be as intimidating as he usually is. Upon hearing someone enter, ever cellmate looked up, hopeful. Friedrich was only in the cuffs in the bench, as if he would have been freed either way. Ayrilyn walked up to him, doing her part of the deal. Asher got up instantly, and his cellmate must have said something, because he turned around and audibly said, "You wish."

"You are?" the policeman asked, looking a little bored, though he seemed confused as to why a teenager would be in the station willingly.

I cleared my throat. Asher would hear me even if I said it quietly enough only for the police officer to hear. "I, uh, am Asher Kilbourne's, uh, wife."

The police officer looked disbelieving, and I pulled out my left hand, and showed him the finger.

"He is sentenced to a day in jail for attempting to steal library property," he said, a bit too seriously.

"Hmm," was all I could say before I managed to ask, "May I talk to him?"

"You sure can," he said nicely enough. I smile back at him and make my way towards Asher's cell.

"Well, well, well," he said, quietly. "I am very appreciative."

"I'll help you, for a price," I told him, silently, enough so that only he and Friedrich could manage to hear me.

"I missed you too," he said, looking at me expectantly.

"I help let you go, you let Ayrilyn and me go." I know I was speaking darkly, but right now, I needed to see what he would say.

"If I say no?" he asked, also quietly now. We were both grabbing the bars and I was very close to him, so that I could tell him everything as quietly as I could.

"If you say no," I said calmly, "I will leave, and go either way."

He looked genuinely confused. "Then why bother making the deal?"

I sighed. "I don't want to be scared all my life, and fearing you will get me back just because you lost."

He looked away, as if he didn't understand why I was saying it. "I'm hungry. I get my fill, I leave you alone," he said, making a new offer. My breath hitched, and I suddenly felt the bars weren't enough to keep me safe. I stood my ground, and he smiled, knowing he had managed to scare me.

"It doesn't hurt, you know," he said, a little too loudly, enough that his cellmate could hear him. He looked up, as if a secret had been told, and he looked like he wanted to kill Asher. I wonder if he attempted to man handle him. Playing my part, I stared right back.

"What?" I said, making it seem I was mad that he was trying to hear into my conversation. He turned his cold stare to me. The stare was that of a killer, yes, and even though it was only human, I probably looked disconcerted. Asher understood my facial expression, because without turning around, he told the mate, "Don't you dare stare at my wife that way."

"I can stare at her all I want," the mate said. I blinked, trying to relax, and not really worry about Asher. He could handle himself, I told myself. He does not need anyone to worry about him.

It is much easier said than done.

Right now, I knew Asher better than his cellmate, so I favored the person I have known longest. However, he was not making any attempt to keep a low profile. How would he fight without showing his superhuman strength?

"No, you can't," he retorted. He grabbed my left hand and pulled it past the bars. He fingered the ring I had on, and showed it to the mate. "She's mine; my wife. Stop looking at her if you know what's good for you."

I pulled my hand back, and although he had a firm grip on my hand, he allowed it. I guess he thought the same thing I did: not to show anything unnecessary.

"I think I'll just keep lookin' at yer pretty wife," he said, and I felt sick to my stomach. Were there really things more horrible than vampires? Yes, I thought to myself. And right now, I was glad Asher was "my husband." The thought occurred to me that I was being too weak to defend myself without the help of anybody, but the bigger part of me just wanted to get out of here.

Asher smiled. I guess brawls are what he excelled at. "She's beautiful, right? But, like I said, she's mine." He turned around, and made to step towards him. Without thinking, I grabbed his shoulder. He kept walking a little until my arm was inside the cell and and I was stretching to keep the contact.

"Let me go," he said. "I need to beat him to a bloody pulp." I wanted to laugh. Double meanings to everything said today, and I was actually getting a kick out of it.

"If you mean what you told me earlier, you won't, and I'll feed you." I wanted out of here. The mate was seriously getting on my nerves, and not in the annoying way, but in the frightening way.

I turned to the police officer. "Why is Asher's cellmate being held?"

The officer looked at the record, and seemed to be unwilling to share. Finally, he told me. "He sexually harassed one of the little Amish girls two weeks ago. Tomorrow he will be sent to the state prison." I shuddered at that. Without looking, I knew Ayrilyn and Taelia heard what he said, and they knew who the girl was.

Yes, the need to get out of here was growing fast. I turned my back on Asher, and he grabbed my wrist. He pulled me back and whispered, "Would you really?"

"If you really will let me go," I said, doubting him a little even now. He didn't say anything for a couple seconds, and then, "Yes, I mean what I say. As a bonus, Ayrilyn will get to be free." I turn around shocked. I was getting a very good deal. Will Friedrich have to feed on me too though?

"Ayrilyn is tired of escaping and failing," he explained. "She agreed the same thing you have," he grinned. I could only stare. Our blood for our freedom. "How much blood?" I asked, wondering if they would kill us in trying to feed.

"About...I don't know. I just get my fill," he said. He smiled at the look on my face. "It hardly kills anyone, unless they have been fed off from once or twice already. You should manage to get out alive," he told me nonchalantly.

"Right. I'll get your freedom then," I said, but he still held my wrist. "Beckon the officer here, if you please." I started to ask why, but I knew: if I left, the mate would try to attack Asher, and who knew what predicament that could put us both in.

"Officer," I called, my voice hoarse. I couldn't believe it. I was going to get freedom as soon as I helped him get out of jail. It seemed too good to be true. I shoved that idea as far as I could, putting faith into his word.

"Yes?" he asked, warily. I pictured him getting knocked out in his early years, hence his cautiousness, but that could have either been my wild imagination, or this weird ability to guess and dream real occurrences.

"How much to bail Asher Kilbourne?"

"He hasn't served his sentence," he told me, as if it was not obvious.

"Yes, I know, which is why I am asking for bail. Isn't it the law that you either pay your crime through a jail sentence or pay bail?" I knew he was trying to trick me into leaving Asher here, god knows for what reasons.

He looked flabbergasted. "Well, yes, but people can't afford the bail, so they normally carry out the sent—"

I was getting impatient. He was the obstacle to my freedom. "Okay, but I'm asking –humor me—how much is the bail?"

"One thousand dollars." I did not let my mouth drop. I had let it happen too many times already, and it probably seemed un-lady like.

I went through my purse, and saw that my eight hundred dollars I pulled out from the bank was still there, though I mentally slapped myself from going against my better judgment and not getting the whole thou'.

"Ah, thank you," I said, and turned back to Asher. I smiled guiltily. He smiled back and brought his face closer. His move did what it intended, and the police officer let us have our "private moment."

"You're too good an actor," I said, not really thinking about it. My voice was still conscientious, and I kept it low.

"You think the attraction is merely acting?" he asked, now smiling wider. I wondered where I heard that vampire fangs were visible if they smiled to widely, because I did not see any intimidating fangs. I needed to take a deep breath, but stopped myself. Now, I held my breath. "Somewhat?" I managed to say.

He chuckled, and I knew he was slipping into his suave character as he has probably done for many other girls when he wanted to talk them into things. This was not part of his personality I have seen before, and quite honestly, it made me dizzy. His eyes stared intently at me, and it seemed impossible that they could ever look deadly and manic. Still holding my wrist, he brought my other hand to his, and brought his face even closer to mine. Still dizzy, though trying to fight through the haze, I kept my stance. My breathing hitched a little. Taelia's words rang through my head a couple times. _They are men after all_. Drop dead gorgeous men… I sighed. I could not let primal instincts be what keeps me away from freedom. I pulled back, and closed my eyes. So far, this is the closest I have come to actually willingly let a vampire seduce me.

I concentrated in the matter at hand: the two hundred dollars needed to Asher's –and ultimately my—freedom. "I need two hundred dollars," I said, not caring if I didn't pay my half of the rent when I got back home. I might take the offer to live with my parents again.

Asher looked like he expected it. "Tell Friedrich." He didn't need to tell me to call him Alexander in public. He did that enough in the beginning that it confused me when I at first didn't even know what name to label them with.

Of course, _that_ brought us back to the mate he was stuck with. I did feel sorry for Asher, and it must have shown on my face, because he clung to the bars desperately hoping for an escape.

"I'll go see if he has the money then," I said, before he pulled another stunt I knew I might just fall for the second time.

"Wait," he said slowly. I took a few steps anyways, just to keep my distance, and turned around. "Yes?"

He looked at me expectantly. Behind that façade, I can see his newfound thirst, and it made me a nervous. His eyes grew excited, and he actually shuddered a little. "Make it quick," he said, almost painfully. I walked quickly to Friedrich, and his words at the edge of the forest resurfaced: _Look, Alex, I can still hold the thirst back. If you can't, just get whichever is closest. If I can't, I'll do the same_. Was that all they wanted? Would we really survive after they fed? I was scared, because what if it hurt? Well, it _will_ hurt, but will it hurt so badly that we will die of pain? Is that possible? My mind was turbulent as I approached Friedrich. I sneaked a peak at Ayrilyn, and her defeated face told me what Asher did earlier: she had given up fighting and decided she wanted to end this.

"Hey, um, I have a question," I said, trying to be calm. He didn't have the cuffs anymore, and even though there were people here, I still felt they would attack me.

"I know," he said, reminding me of his superb hearing. He smiled at me. The remnants of his intimidating persona in my mind soon returned. For the longest time, I thought he was the most genteel of the vampire duo. His smile told me not to compare any vampire. _He will not give me the money_, my mind told me. Freedom seemed to go out the window with that smile of his. I decided to keep calm, and that he would give it to me if I pressed for it.

"Well, may I have two hundred dollars?" I asked, still calmly, insisting with myself that I would not quiver. _So_ close, and I didn't want to show weakness at the end. If anything, I wanted to leave confidently.

"Who said money was free?" he told me evilly. _Oh god…_ I made a mental note never to think vampires were nice ever again.

I looked at him incredulously. "Asher and I made an agreement," I hissed, forcing my voice to remain calm. I would handle the situation well, and not show any duress.

"Yes, I heard that too. That is between you and Asher," he said. It was a slap to the face for me. I could only stare at him with my mouth threatening to drop. I was going to storm his apartment if necessary. I turn around, heading for the exit, when I hear Asher speak, his one spoken word surprised me. He caught my attention by saying, "Andrea."

I turn around, and looked probably even more incredulous than ever before. _How does he know my name_? No one has even mentioned my name since the beginning of this, and hearing it made me feel somewhat normal. I look at him, expectant. "What?" I say, distracted. I would most certainly ransack the apartment in hopes of finding something.

"Come here," he said, seriously. I had a choice: stand there looking like an open-mouthed idiot or walking up to Asher. I picked the latter, just because it gave me something to do. "What?" I repeat, venting my frustration.

He whispered it. "Don't make a scene." I was too mad to actually take his advice—or more like threat.

"Do you have any money in the apartment?" I asked, ignoring him. He looked at me, incredulous. "Do you really want to go that bad?"

"Yes," I said, looking him squarely in the eye, not caring for anything.

"Why don't you wait until I get out, and we'll do what we gotta do, and I'll personally take you home," he said. I back reeled. I started thinking logically. I wouldn't have the money to bail him out, _plus_, I would have no way of returning back home. It sounded as good a deal as it could get—except that vampires would know where I live. _Whatever_, my head was telling me. Right now, going home was my priority.

"What if you change your mind?" I asked, noticing a hint of sadness in my voice. I thought I would not show any weakness. I thought I was stronger than this. I thought that people in movies were weak for crying, for giving up, for showing their fear, and so far, I have done most of all the things I once looked down on. I didn't know myself anymore.

"I hardly make promises, because when I do, I make damned sure I keep them," he told me in his serious voice. I nodded, to show I understood. He took it as agreement, and continued. "Right. Friedr—back off," he said warningly, facing a little to the left, and looking back. I start to shy away from him, surprised at the sudden rise in intonation. He was looking back, and it took me a moment to notice he meant the mate, not me. He turned to face me again, the husband façade back in place. He grabbed my hand, and I noticed something I hadn't before: his hands were warm. **He's hot, then he's cold.** "Your hands are warm," I said, not thinking about it.

"Yea," he said. "Body temperature is something we can control." I nodded, trying to take it in. I blinked a few times, a habit I have when I'm taking something in I never thought about.

"Ahh," I said, for lack of a better word.

There. I was filling in awkward moments like I always do. "They left," he said, his forehead resting on one of the bars.

I turn around, and sure enough, Ayrilyn and Friedrich weren't there. Now I was alone—well, I was the only person with a traumatized by events. Now it was only me, Asher, the mate—

I turn around again, and I notice the police officer isn't there. Where did he go?

"Ahh, they're all gone?" Asher said deadly quiet. He smiled at me, hunger evident. "How about you give your part of the bargain right now?" he said. He was momentarily distracted by something. He let me go, and turned around—a bit too late. The mate had knocked him to the ground.

I didn't know if he was capable of being knocked cold or not, and I covered my mouth, stopping a scream.

"Get those keys," the mate said. I was hyperventilating too much to understand what he was saying, and I could only stare at Asher. He was actually bleeding, and I tried to think that made sense. How else would they regulate their body heat at their wish? However, my mind screamed that Asher was unconscious, the only person that so far has been a threat but also my only source of protection, now that Friedrich was gone.

"GET THE KEYS!" the man screamed. I chocked back a whimper, because I have definitely had worse than this. Asher was slowly getting up, but he made up with stealth. He made no sound, as he gave the man a murderous stare. He shook his head at me, telling me not to.

"I'll kill your husband if you don't DO what I SAY!" he said losing patience.

I spat at him. Hey, the bars seemed stable enough. "Fuck you," I said, finally able to confront an enemy. It felt really good, if I do say so myself.

Asher was directly behind him. He slid his arm around his throat. "Try killing me now," he said, almost as dreamily as Sayira. His calm attitude helped keep me calm. Either that, or he was making me keep calm.

"Go sit down at the bench," he told me. "When the police officer comes in, make a scene. Tell them the mate attacked me, and I was knocked unconscious."

"What if he hits you again?" I asked, forgetting what he was for the moment. Detail, detail, detail. I was forgetting so much detail, I didn't seem like myself.

The man didn't see him, but I saw his mocking smile. "Don't worry honey bunny. I'll be alright."

I look away. "Fine. Be careful," I said. I still didn't want him to get hurt.

I winced as I heard body hit bars, and I almost turned around. "Don't," Asher said, an edge in his voice. I pictured him colliding with the bars.

The police officer was outside, yelling at some teen age kids. "Help!" I screamed. They all look up, and they all came running towards the office, to see what the commotion was.

"What?" the police officer asked.

"He's attacking Asher!" I screamed, hysteria once again threatening my composure.

He ran to the back, and the scuffle did not die. I ran to the back, following him when I didn't hear any improvement, and I saw what I had pictured: Asher on the ground, though he was breathing shallowly. I tried to remember if he always breathed that way, and couldn't remember. So far, I had only focused on me, and trying to stay alive. The thought that I had been acting selfishly crossed my mind.

_Duh. Vampires made your life a living hell_.

I saw the police officer tazzer the mate, and he helped Asher to his feet.

"I am very sorry," the police officer said. He seemed nervous, and I tried to take advantage of the situation.

"This would not have happened if you didn't leave," I said, worry on my face as I tried to survey for any damage. I didn't really find any. Do vampires heal fast? I worried that maybe Annaliese didn't hit Josef well enough to have killed him, and worried for Ayrilyn's safety now. I went from worrying about myself to worrying about others so quickly, I didn't know if I had worried about anyone else but myself this whole time.

"I am so sorry," he repeated. He seemed to think about the pros and cons of just releasing Asher. "I will take care of the paper work," he said. I sighed in relief, but also in anticipation. Once again, I reminded myself that he was hungry. He sounded serious about taking me home and leaving me alone if I just gave him some of my blood.

"I can go home?" Asher asked, incredulous. Or at least, I think he asked incredulously. It was hard to tell when I knew he could slip into any character he wanted to.

"Yes. I'm very sorry," he said, once again.

"No, no problem," Asher said. He looked at me and smiled. His smile was too human, and I couldn't help but genuinely smile back.

_God, I seriously hope I not falling for a vampire_, I thought, as he made his way towards me.

"Well, congratulation and I hope the best for your marriage," the police officer said.

"We're supposedly newly-weds," Asher explained as soon as he reached me, and put an arm around my elbow. "Ahh," I said. "Thank you," I said, not really looking behind me.

As soon as we were outside, he let me go. Annaliese, Karl, Ziek, and Taelia were waiting. Ziek looked worried, and when he saw Asher, he stood up. "Hey, Asher, look, I'm—"

"Don't worry about it," Asher said amiably. They must go way back.

"What? No," Ziek explained. "I didn't know the libraries had those beeper things. If I did, I would not have taken the book and given it to you," he said. I couldn't believe he never knew about the beepers…

"I'ma eat," he said, turning towards the apartments without another word. They looked at me surprised. I stared back innocently.

"You comin' Dre?" he asked, loose for how he usually was. I take one more look at Taelia, and she was caught eyeing Asher. She blushed a deep red. Ziek turned to look at her, and he smiled at her. She probably did not know he smiled at her because her blood was incrementally visible. She blushed even more. I was gonna make a remark, but I felt a small gust of wind on my left side. "You comin'?" he asked me again. I jumped, but I turned around. Keeping my face calm, though I knew the rate of my heart would give me away, I leave towards the direction of the apartment.

As we reach the apartment, all the thoughts that might make someone nervous were going through my mind. I wanted to get this over with, but at the same time, I wanted time to slow so I could have more time to think of a way out without compromising my word.

I kept my eyes on the ground, trying not to think too much of what was about to happen. I recalled that Ayrilyn and Friedrich were not there when Asher was given freedom. That made me a little nervous, but it also turned my attention towards something else.

"Asher?" I asked, as if we knew each other for a while. Heck, why not? He would take my blood, and that would be the end of it now. We were going to be equals. We would be people in the world, like the song from one of my favorite rappers said—even if it is extremely out of context—"**Would I take you in or simply pass you by?**"

"Hmm?" he asked, as if he decided the same thing.

"Will Ayrilyn really be okay?" I kept looking at the ground, but I knew he would look at me, gauging my reaction.

"Yes. Friedrich will be careful. He always is. In fact, so much so, that she will probably only feel as if he's trying to give her a hickey," he shrugged, as if it was common knowledge that that would be what one feels when one is bitten.

I felt the tension that rose between us when Friedrich teased us rise up again. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but when he told me that, I wanted him to do that to me. I could not decide if it was me thinking it, or Asher implementing the idea in my head. At the moment, did it really matter? He was drop dead gorgeous, no doubt about that. At a first glance, he seemed like a normal person, though much, much more better looking. He seemed to be the type that knew what girls thought of him, and he played on that. He felt a thrill in seeing them fall for him, and then realize in terror who he really was. Fright was something all vampires relished, though I myself did not know why.

"That's it?" I asked, gulping, still nervous.

"Yup," he said breezily. "You'll see how I get my—" he came close, and whispered seductively in my ear, "—sustenance." We went up the stairs, and he opened the door. He looked around, and his face told me that Ayrilyn and Friedrich were no longer here. I was going to miss her, that was a given. She gave me hope that we could escape together; she gave me hope that we could break a cycle these vampires have been keeping for years; she showed me it was still valiant to fight for my life and dignity. Of course, I hardly applied these new found beliefs until the end came near, but I was trying to make up for the cowardice I had during the beginning and end. Surely, strong people would not whimper in plain sight for the aggravator to relish in.

"This way," he said. He made to grab my hand, but he grabbed the hand that had the Avenged Sevenfold shirt. He raised his eyebrows. "Did you plan on taking my shirt?"

I looked at him incredulous. He was appearing more human by the second. "You like music?"

He rolled his eyes; the first time I've seen him do that. "I was human once. Of course I like music." He led me to his room, and once again, the anticipation of pain made his slow advances nerve wracking. I had the suspicion he wanted me to get a little scared. He got the bonus of excitement in my fear that not many people get.

The feeling that quickly becomes addicting if released for too long, I always lived for excitement; for roller coasters; for horror movies. Of course, the real life danger situation is something no one in his or her right mind would want to be in, and the feeling was so much more potent. You'd think I'd grow immune to the feeling, but like I said, it only grew more addicting.

He finally turned, and closed the door. He cornered me to the door, one hand on either side of me, and he smiled. He brought his face closer, only inches away from mine. I stared in wonder at his eyes, always noticing how his eyes were over diluted. I managed to catch a glimpse of color: a smoky blue. His dark hair managed to fall over them as he kept lowering his face to reach my height.

I couldn't hold it in. I just let my mind think whatever it wanted, whether it was blasphemous or not.

_He's gorgeous._

_He actually might like me._

_He makes me feel like a woman._

The last free thought would have made me blush if I thought about the now retired boy of my dreams. He seemed so insignificant now, it seemed comical. I brought my attention back to Asher, just because I saw a smile spread across his face.

"Ready to see that our attraction isn't mere 'acting' as you call it?" he asked, huskily. I tried not to breathe. I _did_ feel the attraction, do not get me wrong, but I also knew he was doing something to magnify it. I fought against myself to stop the desire to grab him by the hair and kiss him as if there was no tomorrow. My inhibitions were going down substantially, and I caught myself saying something I would never had said if I had been thinking right. "I've _been_ ready," I said, a little too dreamily.

The last of my inhibition left me as I grabbed him by the hair and kissed him. He returned the kiss just as –if not, even more—passionately. Whatever negative thoughts about vampires I had (which were still a lot) left me as quickly as my inhibitions. Sounds escaped my mouth while I grabbed as much hair as I could. He responded by bringing me closer to him. I pulled away, catching my breath; however much I wanted him, I could not kiss him until I died from lack of oxygen, even if I wanted to. He was smiling at me, the smile of knowing we were doing something that would never be shared with anyone else. We knew that whatever happened today would stay in this room. I had the smallest thought about Ayrilyn, wondering if she made out as passionately with Friedrich as I did with Asher, and if she would ever share it with anyone.

I thought about that for not even a second, when another thought came to me, once again, I wondered, _could vampires grow fond of their food_?

"Good enough?" he asked me, though by the sounds of it, he was out of breath too. He didn't wait for an answer, and we started kissing again. I was getting dizzy from all the thoughts that kept running through my mind at the speed of light. I couldn't really make sense of anything anymore. He started to bring his—warm—hand to my face, though his fingertips were still slightly cold, and caressed my face. He started to kiss my cheek, running down to the end of my jaw, and finally, he started kissing my neck. Or at least, It felt like he was kissing my neck.

I grew dizzier and dizzier by the second, and I knew he was drinking—feeding as they said too commonly.

Eventually, I was starting to lose consciousness (does that usually happen when vampires feed?). Had it not been for how closely and tightly Asher was holding me, I would have collapsed so long ago. My fingers released his hair, I felt that whatever material I held in my hand was too heavy to hold, and it fell to the ground. My last experience before falling into darkness was collapsing when Asher let me go.

* * *

I admit, there weren't a lot of lyrics...only like three. It's too hard haha.

Anyways, I know this chapter is extremely long, and it TOOK a long time to write it. Now I don't even remember if you know her name. I think this is the chapter where you find out her name.

Okay, back on track. A MILLION thanks to: MyButterfly436 and Songs From The Heart. Those two helped me make the story a little more understandable.

She gets him, she does. Of course, it's kind of like...well, as much as I would like to put my plausible excuse, I'm a sucker (hardy har har) for _some_ romance (though this scene was hardly romantic. Just a steamy make out session). If it helps explain anything, I'm a Libra.

Alright,seriously, thank you to xxdarknessfallsxx for your comments :) Right after this, I shall read more about how you plan to avenge Daniel haha.

And finally, last but most definitely not least, thank you. Yes, YOU! If they had an icon with a pointing finger, I'd put it right now. But alas, they don't (grr), and as you can tell, I'm feeling very...Idunno. I'm just very feely right now. Maybe it's because I know Im not getting anything for Christmas.

So you read, now review?


	10. When I'm Around You I'm Predicatable

Oh my GOD! Can it be that I updated?! Well, I did! Review! Tell me if this is futile, or if I should keep going. My writer's block is still there, but I managed to write _something_. Do you have a clue how much I missed WRITING (something that was purely imagination made)?!?!?!?! I missed writing about Asher and Dre. I already have the ending in my head. And if any of you read my profile, one of the characters _will_ die. And I think I _will_ continue the story. I just want to know how people see the direction of the story. Review review review! (please?)

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_Eventually, I was starting to lose consciousness (does that usually happen when vampires feed?). Had it not been for how closely and tightly Asher was holding me, I would have collapsed so long ago. My fingers released his hair, I felt that whatever material I held in my hand was too heavy to hold, and it fell to the ground. My last experience before falling into darkness was collapsing when Asher let me go._

I knew I would do something stupid after being surrounded by vampires long enough. I just didn't think it would be something _this_ stupid. I thought I might sass them, or fill in any awkward silences, even when I told myself not too. But _let a vampire drink my blood?_

What if vampires have a certain affinity to certain blood types? I mean, I was going to donate some of my blood to the Red Cross. Sure, I am a universal donor, but what if I need to save the life of my best friend? He is O negative like me, so he can only get O negative! What if he was in a car crash, and I was the only available donor?

If vampires _do_ have an affinity to blood types then I would not be able to help my best friend! He would die, and I would die trying to prevent his death.

_God_, my head was telling me, _how can you complain so much while you are passed out?!_

Despite being surrounded by constant danger, my conscious and I didn't come to terms.

I felt my feet and hands were cold, and wondered why my arms didn't feel cold.

I opened my eyes, ready to brace myself. If something so much as _move_, I would kick its ass.

I look around, quietly, knowing deep inside that if any vampire _was_ here, they would have seen me already.

So, even though I mentally prepared myself for anything small, even an imaginary rustle, I jumped when I feel lips by my ear, cold yet soft, saying, "Ready to go home?"

I blink a few times to steady myself. I take a deep breath, as say, "I've been ready." All too soon, I remember that was exactly what I told Asher before I…kissed him.

Oh God. I kissed a vampire! This can't be happening. He purposely dropped me that first night to show who was boss; he teased both Ayrilyn and me to make us scared and or annoyed; he tricked me into giving him my blood—

Well, maybe not _tricked_, but he saw my desperation.

_Whatever_.

I get up, and I see amusement in his eyes. He probably knew I was mentally battling. Annoyed, I give him my _what?_ expression, as if to show him that what happened before I passed out was inconsequential.

"Get ready quickly. I need to find Alexander," he said blandly.

"I'm already ready," I said quietly. He looked down and laughed quietly.

"You plan to go out with your—what do you call it these days? 'Sex hair?'" he said mockingly, trying to make me blush, make me uncomfortable, make me nervous as to what I should say next.

"Easy _boy_," I said, though I knew he was _far_ from it, "you and I both know kissing and biting is all that happened."

He took a step closer, intimidating me. "Are you sure about that?" he said in that frighteningly low voice of his.

_Easy, he's bluffing_, I try to mentally say to myself. _See? This is what happens when you start to talk with vampires as if they're _humans_. You talk back, and the slightest thing can tick them off to kill you._ I tried to tell myself that _surely_, kissing a human might make him at least a little more gentle, but of course, for once, I listened to my inner voice: _Vampires do anything to get a feed. They get bums, kiss girls to let them suck their blood, LIE TO INNOCENT PEOPLE AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY BEAT THEM DOWN…_

_Or have you forgotten about Ayrilyn?_

Her name brings a pang of guilt. I had helped the vampires in this one. My selfish intents of going home blinded me, and I allowed the vampires to psychologically defeat Ayrilyn.

But…

However, right now, a vampire seemed to darken his mood because I talked back. I would ask about Ayrilyn later.

"Yes, I am sure about that," I said, looking at Asher right in his over-diluted eyes. It was still dark, but even I could differentiate from his pupils and irises. I knew they were an intense smoky blue, but in the dark, they looked almost as dark as his pupils.

He grabbed one of my hands, something I was not prepared for. I look down, and he shoves me to the wall, hand pinned. "I could so easily change that," he said, and then, "I still haven't decided what to do to you for talking back to me and Alexander at the jail house."

I looked at him, slightly miffed. Despite being scared, attracted, and confused about his attitude, I got angry. "What else could you possibly do to me? You've already sucked my blood! You've taken me from my family! You told me to ask Friedrich _on purpose_ for money when you knew full well that he would never give me the fucking money to get my hopes high—"

"Watch your language around me," he said getting even closer, his voice getting even more deadly quiet.

"No. We made a deal. Vampire or not, you're going to keep your promise. I gave you my blood. Take me _home_," I said, the last sentence as if every word were a sentence itself.

"I promised to take you home when I _got my fill_. You passed out way before that," he said, now raising his voice.

"It's not my fault you decided to stop rather than kill me," I said, barely above a whisper. What I said made me blurt out: "Or you know what, get your fill, right now," I said, as I was pulling my hair out of the way to expose my neck.

What I said and did shocked him. "If I did, you might die. First of all, you're dehydrated. Second of all, I already took a lot of blood. If I take anymore, in the state you're in, you'll _die_. Is that what you want? A death sentence? And besides, yes, I never go back on my word. I promised to take you home."

His mix-messaged speech made me lose any wit I had left. I collapsed, and although Asher didn't stop me, he didn't let go of my and either, he sat next to me. "We never said I had to go home alive, just that you take me home. Whether passed out or in a body bag, just take me home. Get your fill, and take me home." I was coming close to tears, but standing up to him gave me back some pride, or dignity, or whatever it is I had before knowing that vampires exist for a fact. I held my tears back, even though it was taking every ounce of my meek strength to do it.

"Would you like to see me kill someone while I am taking you home?" he said. I looked at him, horrified that he would say such a thing. I shake my head no, giving him a disbelieving look.

He looked down, sighing, as if what he was about to do was something he would normally never consider.

"Give me my fill halfway." I look at him, too confused to even blink.

"Why?" I inadequately ask, and then add, "I bet you would never even consider it, and even if you did, one feeding would be enough?"

"You're right, I would never consider it. One feeding would be enough if I find Friedrich and he gives me money."

I nod upwards, but I saw he didn't answer my first question. As he gets up, I say, "You still haven't answered my first question."

He helps me up, and with his free hand, he caresses my neck. "Hmm, I'm changing the rules because I like you," he said plainly.

I was glad that I was still shocked about his new proposition. My heart didn't skip a beat, or start going faster. The last thing I needed was falling for a vampire, after what I've seen of vampires, I didn't need this. (Even if said vampire teased me in such a way. He is still a vampire.)

Slipping into his suave character, he smiled charmingly, and said, "And I know you like me too." He looked at me, searching for denial, if any, he thought he would not find.

Once again, I felt awkward, as I knew what was expected of me, but I couldn't very well say anything; it might work against me. So instead, I attempted to smile just as charmingly as he was, though the dumb blank expression on my face never left.

"You are very predictable," he said, and started walking to the door. He beckoned me to follow, and I do.

"And you were smiling too sinisterly for such a comment," I said, knowing that what I was saying was just asking for another threat.

"Eat. Drink water. We leave in fifteen minutes," he said, as he went to change. When he came back, I almost ogled, but kept looking at my food.

"I want to change too," I told him, then added, "If it's not too much to ask."

He unabashedly regarded me, and I felt uncomfortable. At least even perverts pretended that they weren't looking; he was staring at me in plain sight. "No, you look good in a dress," he said as he sat down in front of me, looking bored for having to wait for a human to eat at her own pace.

_Oh great. So maybe he is just a boy afterall_.

"People will see me, and think I'm weird," I said, still trying to get out of the dress.

"Guys will not take notice of the antiquity of the dress; they will probably imagine you without it. As for the girls," he said, as though he's been through it a million times, "They'll forget you once they see me."

"Oh, you're a cocky one," I said as I took a bite of the left over macaroni.

He shrugged. "Vampires are by nature good looking. Vampire hunters are too, since they kill the very essence of vampires. Vampire hunters who are turned into vampires get the worse end of the stick," he said, not really making any sense.

"Wha—?" I say, not following.

"Annaliese told you Karl is my brother." I nodded. "He didn't become a vampire hunter to avenge his baby brother's sire; Karl, Annaliese and I were a group of vampire hunters."

Once again, my jaw dropped. Asher? A vampire hunter? _Holy shit_. But wait…

"How is it that vampire hunters turned vampires get the bad end of the stick?" I asked him, feeling he was open for discussion—that, and his life seemed so interesting.

"Vampire hunters don't trust him—or her, and vampires feel hatred for them for killing friends, allies, lovers, family, whatever."

I snorted. "You didn't seem to have a problem with that. You have Friedrich, your brother and his wife, and that coven who actually trusted you."

"Yea," he said, sighing, "But in the end, any shred of doubt would turn them against me."

"What you have done to them so far proves they are right," I said, looking at him, not teasing him, but talking to him as if I were talking to a friend.

"It does," he said, as if ending any conversation. But I wasn't done—not nearly.

"So, what do you consider yourself?" I ask him warily, trying not to get him mad.

He sighed in annoyance. "You know, you were a lot prettier when you were quiet, scared, and hostile."

My face flashed brief annoyance, but I knew how to prod. "Answer my question, and I'll go back to quiet, scared, and hostile."

His hand was under his chin, and looking bored, he said, "I still consider myself a vampire hunter."

I nodded, and went back to eating my food. I only had three minutes left.

Mid bite, I hear, "And I plan to kill the vampire who sired me." I was already mid-motion, so I didn't stop, but his statement made me think.

He hates vampires as much as I do—did, do, _whatever_.

It made me reconsider: Liking Asher might not be so bad afterall.

* * *

I think I saw the word "junkie" up there as I was scrolling down :/

Anywho, it's been **_SO_** long since I've updated. Tell me what you think! I want to know if you think my story is shit, getting good, _the_ shit, or so so. Really. I want to know.

So, clicky down there. It'll make my day.


	11. New Turn of Events

You can't expect to meet the challenges of today with yesterday's tools and expect to be in business tomorrow.

- Unknown

_Mid bite, I hear, "And I plan to kill the vampire who sired me." I was already mid-motion, so I didn't stop, but his statement made me think._

_He hates vampires as much as I do—did, do, whatever._

_It made me reconsider: Liking Asher might not be so bad afterall._

I gulfed the rest of my food, and drank about a gallon of water in one sitting. Some of the water spilled down my chin, but I didn't care. Water never tasted so good.

I was almost finished with the gallon of water before I handed it back to Asher. He looked at me, eyebrows high, expression a mix between disbelief and amusement.

"You know, I always took you to be the type to eat daintily, and drink water with your pinky sticking out," he said as he recapped the water bottle.

"Yea, well," I said, out of breath from drinking the water in one sitting, "I haven't eaten right in two, three days." I got up, but the sudden hydration made me dizzy. Smart being that I was, I started to walk to the door, only to fall back on the first step.

I was almost sure I was going to fall, but a firm arm grabs my shoulders. "You falling like a drunkard would be amusing, but know that Sayira is still alive, and she would try to kill me if she saw I was helping you."

I shake my head once I am standing up right, and I look at him. "Are you scared of Sayira?"

He looked offended. "No," he said in a disbelieving tone. "But, I have a score I have to settle with her," he said quietly. "And I don't want to have to attack her prematurely."

"Did she do something to you?" I ask him, once again relatively chill. He snorted; first time I ever heard him do that. "You could say that," he said, and I knew that even if I tried prodding, I would get nothing out of him.

"Hm," I said, as if I had a slight clue as to what he said. "Anyways, do you have any idea where Friedrich might be?" I ask him, getting back to the subject at hand: going home.

"No."

_No? That's _it_? No?_ I sigh. "Did he have all the money?"

"Yes." He stayed there, thinking, probably about where Friedrich might possibly be. Meanwhile, my conversation with myself (how lame) came back, and a name as well.

"He might still be with Ayrilyn," I said, though in a questioning tone.

"He might," he said, "But I doubt it; he doesn't waste time with humans," he said blandly, and still thinking.

"Unlike you," I mutter, half-sarcastic, half-grateful. He was not planning to kill me…I don't think.

He ignored me, and I face him, leaning against the high chair, relaxing into the old leather background. He looks at me, thinking hard, and then he turns away, and head to the door.

"Let's go," he says, and heads down the stairs, not even waiting for me. I run to the door, but bump right into him. He steadies me.

"Sorry," I say automatically.

He keeps his hold on my hand, and drags me down the stairs. "No problem," he says, though I doubt he even meant it. _Just like how I meant my apology: automatic_.

"Why are we walking so fast?" I ask him, knowing I was breaking my promise of being the quiet, scared, and hostile good girl.

"Blood," was all he said. He walked even faster, and I was almost running. The pain of the night before came back, and my feet began to hurt after ten minutes of walking briskly.

"Can I get something other than _boots_?" I look at Asher pleadingly, hating that I had to beg to wear something I took for granted before this: sneakers.

He looked at me absentmindedly, and then my feet—or at least, where my feet would be, since the dress covered them up. "Yea. I'll find Annaliese. She has your bag, since you refused to leave my shirt behind."

At that, I blushed. I knew I had no reason to; the shirt was something I wanted to change to, but because there were no jeans in my size, I was stuck with it. But it wasn't like I was creepily keeping his shirt to sniff it or something. I didn't even know what he smelled like! Although that thought got me curious. But the thought was instantly pushed out of my mind with the new wave of pains those goddamned boots were giving me. The heel was just too damn uncomfortable!

We were nearing the outskirts of the city, and he finally slowed to a walk. By then, I was panting as if I ran the marathon. He looked at me again, and said, "Do you want me to carry you?"

I wanted to jump in his arms and say "Yes, _please_," but it would seem weird, even if I was just acting out of gratefulness.

"Please," I say, sighing the word. He nods, and puts one arm around my shoulders, and I say, "How about a piggy back ride?" I didn't really want the whole bridal style going on, even if he told that jail officer we were newlyweds.

"Old times' sake, eh?" he said, but he got down in one knee, and waited for me to get on.

I get on, and he gets up, quicker than a human would with my added weight. "Alright. We're going to go into the Amish village. No one knows about us except Ayrilyn and Tally."

"Taelia."

"Taelia."

I almost fall into a slumber before his words finally processed. "Into the Amish village? With me wearing this dress?"

"Nothing wrong with it. We go in, ask about Ayrilyn, ask her to tell us where Friedrich left her, and we get out." His logic didn't work on me.

"She would not talk to me."

"Sure she will."

"No, she won't. I won't go to the village with this." At that, Asher disentangled my arms from around his neck, and brought me down. "Yes you will. Say 'it's cold here! It's not like California!' or some other crap."

_He is not human. Vampire using slang. Not human_.

"The sweater Ziek gave me is uncomfortably warm. Dresses are not really my thing. I hate boots with a passion. I might need to run, and no doubt the boots are impairing my foothold with the crappy 200-year-old mold that's been forming—" I stopped, disgusting myself with thinking that green mold was almost in contact with my feet, with only (hopefully, I had some) socks as protection.

"I don't care where we go," I said, though I would normally worry as soon as I said it, because guys can be such immature assholes (like myself), but I'm pretty sure Asher wanted to fulfill his promise and get rid of me quickly.

"Fine. We're going somewhere cheap, cuzz I have no money."

"I do."

He turns to me, annoyed. "You could have said so before. We could have used it to take you home."

I frown. Bickering was not going to get us anywhere. "You said you would take care of it."

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it, and walked back. "What are you doing?" I say as I run to catch up to him.

"Annaliese and Karl are nearby. Five minutes into the forest. Stay here. You'll slow me down."

"Five minutes walking or running?"

"Walking."

"Then I can go!" I said, not really wanting to be alone. Sure, he might be a vampire (hunter), but I was getting used to his company. I didn't want to be alone and let the last two or three days build up inside me and crack me to insanity. Well, I knew I was going to safety soon and it was definitely making the last few days seem surreal, but I didn't want to risk it.

"No," he said, finalizing our argument. He walked in, and he stopped. He looked back, and said, "Don't follow me."

I sat on a thick root, stiff posture to show I didn't like it, and said, "Fine."

He came back a couple minutes later with a pair of sneakers—_my_ sneakers.

"Where's my bag?" I ask, grabbing my shoes. I was about to ask if he got the money, but I saw it tucked in one of my shoes.

"With credit cards and cell phone? No. Family doesn't even know you are as far as you are."

"They might think I'm missing," I said, worrying.

"No, they won't. Katrine is the best in her field. She chooses people who are about to leave anyone who might care anyways. And you were the perfect person from the region she went to look."

I look down. Despite my hating the words, they were true. True to the last resonant sound. I wanted to cry. If I hadn't been thinking that being away from the people I cared about as freedom, I wouldn't be in this situation. If I had gripped my family tighter, I would still be there, screaming at my mom one moment, and telling her I love her the next.

Asher made an uncomfortable sound, and I knew he thought I wanted to cry. "Uhh…don't cry," he said, patting my head as if I were a child. "You're useless if you just cry."

It didn't reassure me the way he wanted it to, or anger me, but it did make me laugh, albeit bitterly.

"It's pretty early, since you slept for most of the night, so we can walk to a nearby store, get you what you need, and leave."

"Ayrilyn and I were heading to some Montgomery place—"

"That's in New York. Her brother moved from the much stricter place one here to New York, where they are much more lenient."

Instead of letting my mouth drop, my eyes grow huge thinking about how _far _Ayrilyn wanted us to walk.I look at him, wonderingly. "How do you know all this?"

"Because Karl made it a rule to stick to Amish communities," he said, annoyed. I smile, not laughing, because I know _I_ wouldn't want people laughing if I told them that.

"Alright then. So, where's the nearest store?"

"That's not Amish?" I nod my head. "About four hours away, and if we walk."

"And if we get transportation?" I ask him, hopefully.

"Less than thirty minutes. But it would do you no good. By now, it must be about two or three in the morning. Unless you're willing to wait in the cold for that long, you—"

"I get it," I tell him, annoyed, though not at him; time seemed to be of the essence. "Lead the way," I said, as soon as I stood up, my feet feeling so much more relived since I changed into my running shoes.

"Tell me when you get tired. It's a long walk," he said softly. I nod, and he begins to lead the way.

For the first hour or so, we are quiet, though my breathing becomes a little more labored because we were still walking in the forest and in some areas, the terrain easily made me lose my footing.

"I'm tired," I say in a puff. "Can't we rest for a little while?"

"It's better we don't. Sayira is still out there. She has that charm that could make any vampire debase himself and fight for her."

"Did you fall into her charm?" I ask. And despite its meaning nothing to me, since I never saw her charm, it made me slightly jealous. I wait to hear his answer, but I never did.

I look at him, waiting for him to answer. "What?" he said.

"I asked you a question," I said. "At least tell me the answer, or if you don't want to talk about it, say so."

"Ask me again," he said, though I had a feeling he was lost in his thoughts. I always thought vampires had, like, a capacity of doing about a million things at the same time, but I guess not. Or maybe he was just pretending not to be listening, to make me shut up.

I sigh. "I said: Did you ever fall into Sayira's charm?"

"Oh," he said as if he was expecting a marvelous question, and looked forward. "Once."

_So open_. "Oh," I said, automatically filling in the silence.

He looked lost and deep in though. I let him think his own thoughts while I thought mine.

How much of myself was still me, and how much had changed? If I went back to where normal people lived, how would I see them? Would I fall into some kind of loneliness because not one of them has gone through what I have gone through? Did anyone who survived such an ordeal ever fully reintegrate with the rest, and not stand out? Did they end up having some manic gleam? Did they lose all faith in everything?

It made me think of Ayrilyn, once again, Ayrilyn. Despite being with vampires for a day longer, she didn't fall into the temptation. She saw Asher and Friedrich as _bloodsuckers_ first, then as _hot guys_. I can bet that anyone else, and myself included, thought it vice versa.

Another silent hour passed, and I couldn't walk anymore. I sat down on a root, and said, "I need a break."

"No, you don't," he said, and pulled me up, though standing on the root.

"Again?" I said, tired of walking, but also shy of being carried for the umpteenth time.

He didn't say anything, but kept looking forward.

I get on his back, put my arms around his neck, legs strangling his torso, and head on my arm. After my muscles relaxed painfully, I sigh. "Thank you," I said.

I was kind of falling asleep, and I thought it was about time. I wanted to see if I still had some premonition left in me. I wanted to know if I would be alive to see the smile of my best friend and mother once again.

As I was just about to drift in nothingness, I thought I heard Asher sigh, but I couldn't be sure.

.x.x.x.

I'm dreaming.

_Blood spattered everywhere, terror, anger, sorrow fills me. I can't see the dead faces, for which I am grateful; what if I recognize one of them? Instead, I see extended hands, as if they were begging me to help them. I can't see their belongings, just that they were all over the place, as though there was struggle. I count five bodies, three adult, two of children, and the anger overpowers every other feeling._

I have to get out of there. I know I'm dreaming, and I can't fathom see a family dead.

_I hurry to get out, and as I near the exit, I hear a teasing laughter, of a man and a woman. I get out, and see two young kids, laughing with a manic gleam in their eyes._

Eyes more horrifying than Asher's. Is that even _possible_? Yes. It is. They are _not_ vampires. They kill as humans, kill their own, and they are just children.

_I get mad. Very mad. I grab the nearest thing that could be used as a weapon, something held by another dead body. I see a rough hand, one you know that did an honest life's work. My anger can no longer be controlled as I strike the boy first._

"_Shudder your last breath," I say, feeling good about killing the kid._

(That is _not_ me.)

_Instead, he laughs. "So," he said, though struggling to say it at all, "Does this answer your question?"_

_I grab his neck, strangling him, but pulling him up to me. "Of what?" I say, deadly quiet._

_He smiles, though the smile never reaches his eyes. He is close enough to me that he raises his mouth next to my ear. "'Have I changed?'" he mocked me._

_I wail a cry, and bash his head on the pavement. I get disgusted that he is still breathing, and I let him go. "Shudder your last breath; if you don't soon, I'll make you do it," I said, as sure of myself as I've never been._

_He tries to laugh, mocking me. I strangle him—_

(He's a child!)

—_and he gurgles a little._

_I can feel myself smile, and whisper—thankfully—for the last time, "Shudder your last breath."_

_I marvel as he shudders his last breath painfully and goes limp in my hands_.

_I get up, ready to kill the little girl, but as I turn around, she is nowhere to be found. "I'll find you," I said quietly, knowing she will hear me (somehow), and I can just picture her running away from me, scared and angry. I know she can hear my threat, my teasing her. I know I am using the same thing she has used so many times when she has gone in for a kill._

_I put the weapon away, and swear to the people who died here that I would avenge them, even if I lose innocence and my humanity to do it…_

.x.x.x.

I wake up peacefully, and for a moment, I forgot about my dream.

"You're awake," Asher says. "Hmm," I say, not in the best mood when I wake up.

"Dream about anything?" he asks me.

"Uhh, I don't—" all too soon, the dream comes back to me, in one second flat. I almost hyperventilate, disgusted with myself, and I couldn't figure out how I could think to do such a thing. I mean, _yes_, my life has been ruined, and _yes_, I had an extreme hate for someone (or some people) who ruined said life.

"What's wrong?" Asher says, catching my fear easily. He puts me down hastily. In vampire terms too. He keeps his distance.

"Isn't this considered halfway?" I ask bitterly. I didn't want him biting me right now though. I fear my dream might come true far too soon than anything.

He shakes his head. "Halfway of taking you home," he said. "And besides, you're not giving me permission."

"Why the fuck do you need my permission?" I ask, still revering myself from that dream.

"I could easily just kill you right now, and take your blood, but then Karl and Annaliese would kill me," he said, far too calm for his usual self.

"He's your brother," I spit at him, "Why would he kill you over someone who is nothing to him?"

"He is, above all, a vampire hunter. He has been used to the idea that he might have to kill me, or Annaliese, if she ever became a vampire."

"Then why not just kill them both, and be done with it?" I said, stating something, which to me, seemed obvious. He looks at me, perplexed at what I was saying, then wary. I, too, was acting out of norm.

"Are you okay?" he asks me carefully, suspiciously. Why he was acting carefully had me disgusted. He is a _vampire_. _I_ should be talking carefully to _him_.

"Answer my question," I tell him, teeth on edge. He looks at me confused, but something else covers his face, though I don't bother to read it.

"He is my brother, and I am a vampire hunter."

"You're wrong," I say, coming up to him. I almost expect him to keep his distance, but he stays his ground, but I still keep going. "You're a vampire. Even if you consider yourself a vampire hunter, you are still a vampire!"

I read fascination in his eyes, and then a smile, and for once, it reached his eyes. "I thought you said you'd stay quiet, scared, and hostile, though not physically," he mused.

"You give me no reason," I said, getting even closer. We begin a staring contest; he was looking at me curiously, and I was looking at him with loathing.

_Why are you reacting like that with him? _You_ are the one who killed in that dream_. Great. Inner conscious, please shut up.

_Say sorry, and maybe, just _maybe_, he'll let you live. Tell him you'll add a feeding as a bonus_. God. Fuck my life.

After a minute of staring, he grabs my forearms. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he asks, every word a sentence.

My mind blanks, and once again, I lose wit. I collapse for the umpteenth time. I sigh, and tell him, "What do you feel when you kill?"

I surprised him, but he told me, "If it's someone who is giving me shit, it feels good. If it's an innocent person, I feel somewhat guilty, but it passes after a while." He lets go of my arms, but sits and faces me. "_Why?_"

I try to hold back tears. I can be strong if I want to, right? _Wrong_.

I cry, and instinctively lean on Asher. I had been through so much, and I know that I have held on to tears for way too long, that I couldn't take it anymore. I feel Asher tense for a second, but he slowly relaxes. Even more slowly, he puts his arms around me, trying to comfort me. I put my arms around _him_, not ready to let go, afraid of what my hands have done, even if they were only in my dream.

I wanted to say sorry for slowing us down, for making him take me home, for crying, for being weak, for giving him a hard time that first night, for passing out while he was getting his fill, but I was crying too hard…_too hard_…

He uses one of his hands to stroke my head, rocking me, waiting for me to calm down. After five minutes of that, I start to calm down. "Is this because of a dream?" he tells me in his quiet voice.

I bury my head in his chest, ashamed that I could have killed someone—let alone a _kid_. I nod, my sobs quieted down to silent tears. He sighs, but holds me tighter. "Want to share? It might make you feel better."

"I saw a family dead, someone dead outside of their house attempting to protect them, and two kids laughing. I killed one…cold blooded. I-I-I—" he could tell I was about to relapse again, and he makes "shh-shh-shh" noises to calm me down again.

"It was just a dream," he said soothingly, "Just a dream. While you're with me, I'll make sure that won't happen, okay?"

I nod again, but this time, I was able to talk. "Thanks," I said, and I sigh, in relief. I drop my arms, but he still holds me close. "You know," I said, filling in the silence, "For a vampire, you're not that bad."

He chuckles. "Vampire hunter." _Hmm, vampire hunter turned vampire_.

"Since you see yourself as a vampire hunter, and you're a vampire, I'm guessing you can't turn back into a human?"

"What makes you say that?" he asks me, as though there is a way.

"How long have you been a vampire?"

"Too long," he huffed, "Which is why I'm looking for the person who sired me. I kill my sire, drink their blood, and, like magic, I am back to eating food, and not drinking blood."

I try to pull away, but he probably couldn't even feel my pressure, because he didn't let go. Instead, I relax into his arms—

_Hey, he is a vampire _hunter

—and ask, "You're not shitting me, are you?"

He repeats, "What makes you say that?"

"'Like magic.'"

"Oh. I don't get why the process is to kill and drink the blood of your sire, but I don't care; if that's the way, I'll do it."

"And you'll go back to being a vampire hunter?"

"Well…yea," he said, as though it were obvious.

"What if you're made into a vampire again?"

This time, he reacts bodily. He pulls away, looks at me in the eye, and says, "That won't happen again. Please don't ask me to humor you," he said, dead serious.

"I won't," I say.

_Hey, he's a vampire _hunter.

"Thank you," he says. He gets up and then helps me up. "You slept for a while. We're five minutes away from the store."

That brings my spirits up; I get to change out of this dress. I clap in excitement, though not as I would have if it was, say, yesterday.

We get in the store and get quite a few stares. I was wearing this weird dress, as well as walking with a guy that could get every girl in this store (aren't I the lucky one?).

We go to the youth section, and I turn to him. "I cried on your shirt. I feel it's only fair if I get you another one."

"Alright," he said amiably. People were within earshot, and you know vampires…

I look at him expectantly, as does he.

"I'm not going anywhere by myself."

My jaw drops in disbelief. "Can't fathom being alone?"

"Can't fathom the girls staring," he corrected. "And it's a kick seeing all the faces fall from the male species when they see me walking with you."

_Vampire. He's a vampire._ I look at him, trying to see if his face can give away any real motive. Did he think I was going to run away if he left? _He knows I would be eternally lost_.

"Trust me, you'll want someone around as an excuse." I look at him amused.

"I would have thought you loved the attention," I tell him, my voice playful.

"I'm actually shy," he said coyly.

"Alright then," I say, placating him. I look around the whole teen section, not really liking anything, but finally deciding on a tank top and jeans.

I could feel the temperature going up, even in the store.

"Dude, is it this hot during the winter?" I ask Asher.

He looks at me like I'm crazy. "It's not winter."

"Ayrilyn said—"

"She was wrong. I have no idea where this girl's mind was this whole time. Everything she said was amusing though; you could say we thought of her as an annoying sister."

_That you wanted to kill_.

"'You could say,'" I said, focusing on his choice of diction.

"Yes. I still need to survive," he said, dismissing it smoothly.

"Well, how long was I there for then?"

Again, the you're-crazy look. "As long as you've been saying: three days."

"So," I said, prolonging the word while I tried to come up with something smart to say, "School hasn't started yet?"

_Oh yes, very smart_.

He gets exasperated, "No, school has not started yet—at least, not college."

"Hmm," I say, "Well, that changes everything!" I go grab shorts; I am not about to be in suffocating clothes.

I give him the I'm-ready look, but he stays where he is. "Aren't you going to change?"

"I want to take a shower," I tell him indignantly, as though what he said meant I have always been this unhygienic.

"It'll take us longer to get going," he said calmly, as though he were taking into consideration my desire to go home, though I knew he just wanted to get this over with.

"Whatever," he said, and started walking to the men's section. "Are you sure that stuff will fit you?"

I almost burn. "Are you calling me fat?"

He was taken aback. "Uhh—" I can just see him terrified in the position he put himself in. I guess even in his time hinting to a girl that she is fat was taboo. "Uhh…no, definitely not," he said, his sentence choppy.

I look at him murderously. Sure, I don't care what people think of me, but I'm sure that I'm not _that_ bad. I was on the soccer team for six years until I broke my leg, but I still ran once in a while after it healed.

"Come on," he said trying to placate me this time. "You're _not_ fat. I _swear_."

"Humph," I say, trying to drop the subject. I wish I wasn't a girl; that way, I wouldn't care if someone hinted about my weight.

"Girls," I hear him mutter.

He grabs the first thing he sees: a solid navy blue shirt.

"That's it?" I ask him surprised, forgetting the fat incident already. "Just spot and pick?"

"I'm not a girl," he said, stating the obvious.

"Come on! Get something that matches your jeans," I tell him, trying to encourage him to look around.

"Noooo," he says, dragging me away from the area and towards the cashier registers. Just as we are about to get in line, he says, "We're going to leave and look for a place where we can take a shower like you've been wanting to."

I hear a giggle, and stop dead in my tracks.

Someone heard what he said and took it the wrong way.

_Ahahahahaha! Serves you right._

"What's wrong now?" he asks. He looks up to hear the girls giggling a little louder.

_Ahaha! They are probably taking his impatience to take you home as his want to shower with you! Hahaha! This is just too good…_

He realizes why they are giggling, and he looks at me, eyebrows up, eyes almost conspiratorially.

I look at him; dumb for a second, but then I slap him with my free hand on the arm.

"Just giving you options," he says, humiliating me further.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

He just smiles, and says nothing. He lets me go, and I realize I'm forgetting the most important part: a bra and a pair of underwear, and maybe a pair or two of socks.

"I forgot something," I tell him, not really wanting to be specific. I throw him a twenty dollar bill. "Pay for your shirt with this. The line is long enough, I'm sure I'll make it back before your turn though. Save the spot."

He looked at me disbelieving. "How convenient," he tells me, "That at the first sign of uncomfortableness, you wimp out and look for an excuse to get out."

I can feel the girls behind me staring, but I keep going. "I swear, I'll be back in, like, a minute." I get out of the line and go back to the women's section.

I grab the nearest underwear making sure it was not suggestive and a plain bra, once again, making sure it was not suggestive—and that they were my size. I grab any random pair of socks I can find, and I put everything between my jeans and shirt, knowing that he—and the girls—would see them eventually.

I was walking back, taking my time. I turn the corner to the registers and see the girls trying to flirt with him, and him looking at them with a smile on his face, looking amused every once in a while though bored out of his mind.

However, they must have said something he liked, because he looked at them interested.

I was within earshot, and I was curious to know what it was that got his interest.

I hear one of the girls talking animatedly, "Yea, the party is tonight, and we would love it if you could come," he said.

I knew he was aware of me way before they were, so once I was almost behind the girls, he looks at me and says, "Yes, I would love to go," and while I was close enough to see the hope in the girls' eyes he grabs me and pulls me to his side. "Is it okay if I bring her?"

They looked shocked. Shock, humiliation and defeat came into their eyes. "Y-Y-Yea, of course," they say, though not nearly as enthusiastically as when they were inviting him.

"Great. Think we can come with you guys so we can take a shower?" he asks, taking advantage of the situation.

"Uhmm," says one of the girls, "I don't think my family would appreciate if they know two people are taking a shower togeth—"

"We're not going to take a shower together," I tell her, horrified that she would still have that thought when it was clear they probably thought I was his sister in the beginning.

My statement probably brought their hopes up again, because they look slightly relieved. "Oh, then yea, you guys are more than welcome to," she smiles, and our turn is next.

"Should have kept quiet," he said.

"I'm not about to let people think we're going to take a shower together," I hiss under my breath, making sure he was the only one who could hear me.

"You're going to regret it," he said quietly, though in a sing song voice.

_Vampire. He's a vampire_.

I put his shirt and my stuff on the conveyor belt, and I try to distract him.

"What were you guys talking about?" I say as I face him and maneuver him swiftly to lean on the table to put his back to the conveyor.

"I know you forgot undergarments," he said before answering my question, "So don't bother trying to distract me. But anyway, we talked about how hot it is during this time of the year and how it would be most comfortable with as little on as possible and that pool parties were 'totally in,'" he sighed, trying to list everything in one sentence, "and how it would be nice to get to know each other, and that they were jealous of me because I had siblings, and that—"

"You're so thick," I said, not believing how he didn't really catch all the sexual offers they were giving him. "You couldn't catch what they were implying?"

"Well, I can totally distort what you just said right now," he offered, "If that helps." He grinned. Apparently, he likes to make people uncomfortable with perverse jokes.

_Vampire. Vampire. A fucking vampire._

"You know very well what I mean," I say as the cashier rings up the last item.

"That will be $27.72," the cashier says.

"Give me a ten," Asher mutters as he gets closer to me and gets a few of the bills I had in my sweater pocket.

He turns around and the girl does a visible double back. She looks at him admiringly, and then looks beyond him and catches me looking at the development, and I smiled. I raise my eyebrows, as if I understood her—which I did.

The first time I came across Asher was when I was going to "go eat breakfast."

But that time, about four or five other hot guys were there too, so my gaping was probably much more exponentially obvious.

She seemed to understand because she gives Asher his change with a smile, no longer gapingly, but somewhat subtly checking him out.

He puts his arm around my shoulder. "What did you do?" he asks me.

"I understand the feeling of coming across a male vampire for the very first time," I tell him. "She misses out though, because I had five vampires to ogle at."

_Such brutal honesty. Very becoming, don't you think?_

"Hmm," he says. We sit on a bench for the girls. They come out, looking for the first sign of hotness.

"Did you guys come walking?" the other girl who I hadn't heard talk yet ask.

"Yea," Asher sighed, as though he were walking all day—and was human enough to get winded by the walk.

"Come on," the girl said happily. "We'll be more than happy to give you guys a ride."

The ride to their house was quiet for me. The girls were talking animatedly, though not with each other, but at Asher. I knew he wanted to use me and say we were an item, but I also knew he wanted me to cooperate, and that would only come when a dude refuses to get the idea that I wasn't interested (though, I am very glad that doesn't happen often).

We go to their house and I admire it. It is a nice mansion. I mean, I could probably fit—if I was pushing it—about twenty people here, maybe two per room.

They invite us in, and I shyly enter.

"The shower is in the left hand corner of this hall," the girl—Jenny it turns out—tells us. They look at us expectantly, wondering who was going to take a shower first?

"Go ahead," Asher tells me quietly.

I nod my head, and say, "Excuse me." Hey, I still had manners; I was not about to drop them just because I went through shit these last couple of days.

"Towels are in the cupboard!" Mary yells, not bothering to show me.

I can already hear the stream of questioning they throw at Asher and I feel normal. _Normal_. Two girls, who are _not_ vampires and whose eyes are not crazily dilated, are downstairs this minute.

From their invitation (to Asher), more normal people are going to be coming.

_You'll get bored with them_.

God. I will not get bored with humans!

_Yes you will. For the last three days, Asher and the rest of the vampires have given you a thrill that you just love to feel._

No, I was scared shitless. I'll enjoy human company, I know that for a fact.

_Scared shitless or not, you still felt the thrill. You felt it while running away with Ayrilyn, while they caught up with you, when he made sure you wouldn't leave, when you kissed him, when he bit you, when—_

Enough. Enough. Enough. _Enough_. I will have a good time, and I will have a good time with humans, and for a couple hours, forget that this is freaking Pennsylvania.

I. Will. Have. A. Good. Time.

My shower was ruined by then. I was forcing myself to feel good, and my inner conscious is trying to fuck it up.

I get out, no longer enjoying the cold water, and change into my new clothes. I leave the jeans in the bag; I might have taken a cold shower, but as soon as the cold water's iciness was gone, the heat wanted to suffocate me. I take the bag with me and head back towards the kitchen, where the girls were still interrogating Asher.

He looks relieved when he (or, well, then the girls) sees me, and tells the girls, "Well, I'm off to shower," and quickly goes before they can say anything.

I was still by the hall, so once I am within earshot and they are not, he tells me, "You are _not_ fat and I actually like that shirt more than the dress."

I keep myself from frowning. The girls were looking at him still. "Perv," I mutter under my breath.

Once he closes the door from the bathroom, I look down. "Fucking perv," I mutter again, though, I suppose I was a little glad he didn't think me fat.

_Keep telling yourself that is why you're happy girl_.

"You're just jealous," I mutter aloud, and the girls managed to catch that I said something, though in my muttery mood, they didn't catch what exactly I said.

"What?" they asked in unison, then grinned at each other for being oh so clever.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, nothing," I say dully.

My conversation with myself was making me come to the conclusion that I was nearing insanity. I'm sure other people also had conflicting thoughts, but who had such a strong negative side within? And why was it coming out now? Was it because of the vampires? Or is it something soon-to-be college students start to get, except over more trivial things, like bills and homework?

"So, uhmm, what does Asher like?" one of the girls—Jenna—asks.

"Yea, does he like the quiet type, or the daring type?" the other one, Mary, tells me.

I'm guessing their tactics were visibly failing.

"Well, he likes the quiet, scared, and hostile kind," I tell them honestly. Sure, they might try it, but with the way he was forced to act now, the scared act would just be an illusion.

"How long have you two been travelling together?" Jenna asks me, trying to see if I indicated he was mine, or if he was just a sibling.

"About three days? Something like that," I tell them, leaning on the counter, getting myself comfortable, knowing they were going to get out of me as much information as possible.

"Why so long? And _walking_?" Mary asks disbelievingly. "How did you guys ever manage it?"

_Say the truth. You know you want to. Claim him as yours._

Really? I decide to half listen.

"We were kind of going in circles. We were nearby an Amish village. The last two hours he just carried me," I said blandly.

_They are boring you. I told you_.

They are not. It's their close-mindedness.

_You are being close-minded too. What have your thoughts been primarily of?_

Home. Home. Home. I want to go home.

"Didn't he get tired?" Jenna asks me.

The fat thing again? Sheesh. Well, it does make sense. _Whatever_.

"Yup. I admire him for carrying me for so long. He's very strong."

"Oh," they coo. I succeeded in making him more desirable.

This continued for five or so more minutes because the next thing I knew, the girls shut up. I look up, and I see they are staring at something behind me.

I turn around, and almost freeze in my spot. He wasn't wearing a shirt—just jeans.

"You took my shirt with you," he said, then heading towards me, he took the shirt and put it on on the spot. The whole slightly baggy jeans and tee thing _really_ fit him, especially the dark shirt against his pale—

Ahh. _He's a vampire. He's a vampire. He's a vampire (hunter). He's a vampire…hunter._

"Sorry about that," I said, not meaning it one hundred percent.

The girls look for an excuse to leave so that they can get a breather, and leave us alone.

"What do you think?" he asked me, meaning about his appearance.

"Well, uh," I gulp, and I smile, my eyes darting to the floor, embarrassed of myself, "I think you look good." I look up to see his reaction, though my head is still dropped.

His grin is extremely sexy, and he gets closer. "For a human," he says, his lips caressing my chin and ear, "You sure know how to appeal to vampires."

This time, my heart does start beating a little faster, and I grab the bottom part of the counter for support.

"Aha, really?" I say weakly, not really knowing if I wanted to get out of this siituation, or if I wanted to keep it going.

"Yes," he says. That one word was stressed, and I could tell he was about to make a move. My heart is about to stop from the thought, but he hears the girls coming in and backs away.

He goes back to looking bored, and I (try to) go back to talking as if I were tired.

I hear them come in with a loud sigh, as though they were cooling themselves down (lucky bitches), and they say a little breathlessly, "Guests will arrive in ten minutes."

Asher just smiles, never reaching his eyes, and says, "Can't wait."

Oh yes. I can't wait either. This new development is not to my liking. I realize I'm still holding on to the counter painfully, but I don't let go. I needed a distraction. _Any_ distraction.

I'm falling for a fucking vampire.

* * *

Ay. So, I wanted to reach 30 reviews, just cuzz it has that nice digit 0, but 28 works fine for me :) My favorite number is 8 anyways :D

I want it to go dark! Like, go in a dark direction. I feel sorry for Dre. But, I actually want this story to still have _some_ dark themes, seeing as how I abondoned the whole "Asher is a scary evil vampire." (He's just soooo hot...I can't help myself. Did I tell you a long time ago I foudn the perfect picture of a guy that could very well be Asher? God...I'll stop drooling haha).

MyButterfly364: You've thanked me enough times on Sweet Seduction, but I never thanked you once. Thank you for seeing all those funny images like Asher being curled up in the jail cell, or catching my horribly written sexual tension! I'm glad you find something good in my stories!

Songs From the Heart: Becca! I love how you're back to reading my story! I thougt I lost you! I'm very glad you are back and that you enjoyed my story, and saw the "good" part of the chapter. I am trying to keep a balance, and you and MyButterfly364 are telling me I'm doing a somewhat good job about it :)

Thaís: Thank you for enjoying my story! And reading all the chapters at once! I'm glad you liked it and hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you.

Special shoutout to these wonderful places:

US: you are the best!

Germany: Ich liebe Deutchland! (Please tell me I didn't misspell something. It would be the death of me, and no, I didn't look it up for translation. All in my head ) I swear, Friedrich loves you all more than ever!

Brazil: Thank you for reading my story! I am pretty sure it was one reader who found it, and I love you for reading it till the end! Lots of love for you!

Australia: My dear Aussies, I can't help but love you!

Canada: No matter what those northern Americans say, I love how you say "Aay."

Singapore: I love you!

Sweden: Ugh. Swedish candy is to die for! Thanks you for reading my stories!

Bangladesh: I would never have thought you would spend some of your time reading my story. I thank you SO much :)

UK: I love you!

I love all of you! But enough gushy stuff. I must be in a dark theme mindset.

Ahem, so, tell me what you think. Dark theme visible? Can you spot it a mile away?


	12. Party Kids

I hope this chapter does not offend anyone with the explicit detail of some very bad things. I promise you, this will be the only time. No more after that.

But apart from that, I hope you like this chapter! I racked my brains for this! (ESPECIALLY cuzz I never do these types of things)

* * *

But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts Benighted, walks under the mid-day sun Himself is his own dungeon...  
-Anonymous

_Asher just smiles, never reaching his eyes, and says, "Can't wait."_

_Oh yes. I can't wait either. This new development is not to my liking. I realize I'm still holding on to the counter painfully, but I don't let go. I needed a distraction. Any distraction._

_I'm falling for a fucking vampire._

Ten minutes later, three guests arrive. All guys. All thrust upon me the minute they came in.

"Allan, Jack, Sean, this is Andrea," Jenna

–_or is it Jenny? You can't even remember this human companion's name. Not getting bored, are we?_—

said to them, putting her hand on my arm and making me step forward.

"Nice to meet you Andrea," they say, each with a nice smile and warm eyes. I smile back; an honest smile is always infectious, right?

"Nice to meet you too guys," I say as happily as possible. I felt my voice was too sugary, but they must have not noticed, and then Jenna (Jenna? _Jenny_) motioned everyone to follow. I fall behind quickly trying to walk as slowly as possible. I didn't want to use an excessive amount of energy by walking like normal people; I will walk sluggishly. I can save much more energy and water in my body that way.

With Jenny and Mary as hostesses, they couldn't just hang around one single person, and they were ahead of me. They were even ahead of Asher, who was walking in step with me, quiet and apparently lost in his own thoughts.

"What do you think?" he asked me quietly, his motioning to the guys.

"They seem very nice," I tell him just as quietly. Even talking was too much energy in this heat. "But it may be an illusion," I say slightly sarcastically, then change the topic, "Man, why was it cold a few days ago and then suddenly it's like we're at the equator?"

"Crazy weather at around this time," Asher explained quickly. "How long do we plan to stay here?" he asked me.

I couldn't keep from saying "What, I'm the one who makes the rules now?"

"No," he said darkly. I raise my eyebrows, thinking it saved more energy than talking. My face held an I'm-waiting expression.

He sighed. "We—you—still want to talk to Ayrilyn," he tells me.

"Do I really?" I ask him, walking slower now. I would either stay still to talk, or walk without talking, but not both at the same time.

He steps in front of me, and I can feel he was going to do something. I stop walking all together by then.

When did it get like this? Was it that ever since I kissed him I've let myself be more easily allured to him? Or is it the perverseness? When did it suddenly become appealing? Or was it that I was seeing him as more human as we travelled together? Goddamn it, what is it?

_You think he's hot. That's enough, right?_

No…I thought all the guys in the room that time were hot. He even made me decide that those people were indeed vampires

I take myself from my self-discussion (how pathetic) to give my full attention to Asher, who was now getting closer to me, almost coming face to face.

I look up to him, and wait to see where he took it. Of course, a simple nudge would do right now.

He takes one step closer, and I take one too, trying to close the distance as civilly as I could. I had _such_ an urge to kiss this guy. I don't even know where it came from…

_Possibly to mark him as yours. It's okay. Do it. You're claiming this vampire as yours_…

No, he's a vampire hunter, right?

_Vampire. Fangs and everything honey. But it's okay. If you want, you can keep being appealing and get a little scared or excited and you have him_.

I'll worry about the whole vampire issue later…

I take one more step, and just before I am tempted to let loose, I force myself to realize we're not at his apartment anymore; we're at a stranger's house, about to have fun at a party, and let the girls think they have a chance, which they do. They are good looking, flirty, and good hostesses.

Asher takes the final step, grabs my hand, and pulls me forward, engulfing me in a hug. What is this?

"I'm not in a good mood," he says. I go rigid in his arms, and I almost think he will attack me. I get a little scared, and I can hear him take a deep breath, inhaling that aroma, and letting it out gladly.

_Just think he is happy he has you in his arms_, my conscious tells me, working with me this time, probably to help itself survive.

"Asher?" I say a little worried. It gets everyone's attention as they walk back to us, and I can feel his face go to the crook of my neck.

_He's going to bite you!_

No! I can't think negatively. Think positively. Come on Dre, think positively.

"Asher?" I say, putting my hands on his head, like he did when he was trying to calm me down in the woods.

"Is he okay?" Jenny asks me, a curious look on her face.

"I'm okay," he says softly, quietly. He sighs, and his hot breath on my neck makes me shiver. I bring my mouth closer to his ear, and whisper, "Were you warning me?"

I can feel him smile on my neck, and he does the slightest of nods. I sigh in relief, and make a lie on the spot. "He's tired from all of the walking," I explain to them, and then to him, "Do you want to sit down?"

This time he nods visibly, and as I make to step back, he doesn't let go. "Asher?" I say, trying to step back, but he wouldn't let me.

_You like a vampire who acts like a _kid _as he is throwing some kind of silent tantrum?_

Against me again? But hey, that's human of him, right?

_Like you, he's used to having things his way. Are you going to let this vampire get his way?_

Well, then things wouldn't go my way, now would they? …

He has normal body temperature, so I feel he's suffocating me. "Asher," I say one more time, this time with a bit of annoyance. Any more stuffiness and I might just be hot enough to shed some clothes off.

"Hmm," he says, still holding on, still feeling him smile, and then, I can feel him starting to silently kiss my neck, teasing me once again, knowing I was growing paranoid.

_He's going to take a bit of blood! Hurry and do something!_

Do what?!

_Anything!_

Oh God. "Here, let's sit down," I say quickly. Jenny's eyes go big with understanding and she leads everyone back to the living room. I feel Asher's laugh as he breathes it on my neck, and I try to keep calm. My heart is racing quickly, and the fear my conscious brought wasn't helping any. He takes in big breaths, not letting them go quickly.

Because this time everyone waits for us, I can't tell him to let go without letting some of my fear soak through the words. I try to keep a composed face and lead the "tired" Asher to the living room, and sit down, his head falling on my shoulder. I sigh with annoyance, and I know it probably looks like a good sign for some of the people in the room, especially Jenny and Mary. Meanwhile, everyone is sitting down on the other sofas, getting comfortable, turning this into a momentary kickback.

"Are you okay man?" one of them, Allan asks.

"Do you need something?" another, Sean, asks.

Asher shakes his head, and lets his eyes close. Three minutes later, his breathing is deep and relaxed, and I stare at him for a while.

Vampires can sleep?

God, why? Why put this goddamn guy here, on my shoulder, making me feel like I have to take care of him, hug him, protect him? Why? Did I ever wrong you in any way? Why?

_Do you mean "why a vampire?"_

Not now. Not now.

_We're one and the same. Why do you oppose yourself so much?_

I don't oppose myself. _You_, are an _it_, thinking killing is normal, that slaughtering children is fun. I don't think that way.

_If you hear me in your head, you're thinking it. Just let go. Let go and unleash all your fears, all your rage, all your hate. It will make you feel better_.

I'm not listening. Besides, on who?

_Him. Them._

No…

"He looks like he's tired, or hungry, or something," Mary says quietly.

_They still think you are siblings. Ha. Hungry? They might be more right than they think._

"We did walk all night, and then he carried me the last few miles," I said, honestly tired, but I could hold it; I've pulled several all-nighters before.

"_Miles_?" the last guy, Jack asks. His eyebrows shot up as looks at Asher. "Has pretty good stamina to last that long."

I put my head on top of his, and mutter, "I marvel about it too," and I close my eyes too. I know I didn't fall asleep, because I didn't have any dreams, and because I could hear the others talking quietly.

"What do you think?" one of the girls eventually asks.

"She's hot. But it looks like she might be called for already," of the guys says.

"It could be that he's an overprotective brother," another one says.

"I was talking about _him_," she retorts.

"Oh. He seems immature—"

"Hmph. Keep talking," she says, then adds, "You know, we—" but then, the bell rang, on top of the fact that there was a knock on the door.

"They're here," most likely Jenny said. "What do we do with them?" she asks.

I open my eyes, and they are all looking at me. I play dumb and start talking groggily. "What happened?"

"More people came," Mary tells me, excitement but also restraint in her voice.

"Okay," I said, "I'll wake him up." She nods and takes Jenny with her to invite the new guests in.

I sigh, glad for giving my eyes a rest, but Asher was still sleeping—or pretending to sleep. I hadn't figured it out yet.

"Asher?" I say, shaking his shoulder somewhat aggressively. He keeps his eyes closed, but I saw them roll; the little sneak was pretending all along!

"Asher, the _guests_ arrived," I make him sit up straight, and say, "The party is getting started; they're setting up the music as we speak."

With that, he magically "woke up" and got up, "I love parties," he says, even if somewhat huskily.

_This is the person you like? Hmm, says a lot about you, don't you think?_

He's human-like?

He cocked his head at me, then smiles. "Come on, you woke me up telling me a party is about to start, don't just sit there," and he pulls me up. "You guys coming?" he asks the trio, suddenly becoming commanding.

He leads us to the back, where about a group of ten people are bringing in more food, drinks, music, lights and—

_Oh my God, its beer and alcohol galore!_

I had to agree with my conscious. There was enough beer and hard liquor to have all of us binge drinking and die of overdose intoxication, and _still_ have some left over to intoxicate two or three more people.

"Are more people coming?" I ask Mary, since I couldn't _believe_ at all the liquor that could be brought here.

"Yea, about ten or fifteen more people," she saw me eyeing the alcohol, and she smiles, "Don't worry, they will bring more, though not as much as these did. They've been storing up, and the other ones are bringing in a few brands that aren't common here. I think you might like them," she told me, eyeing me as if my appearance alone tells her my whole life story.

If it did, she would run away from me and scream crazy bitch. But for the meantime, I decide that I will see this girl just for today, and probably never again. I would play along with her. I could fool _someone_, at least.

"Cool, alright thanks," I say as I skip away to introduce myself to the group.

"This is Andrea, right?" Jack asks me, sounding sure at first, but then seemed to doubt himself.

"Yes, nice to meet you," I say with a big smile. They are introduced to me, and smile back to me. The whole girl to boy ratio was still in favor of the girls' side, with ten guys and seven girls. They all strike me as them being the popular kids at school, so I easily chat with all of them; if they're popular, it's because they get along with many people, and are talkative.

Within fifteen minutes, the rest of the invited come in through the back door. Once again, it's mostly guys. I silently send my gratitude to Jenny and Mary. I wasn't boy crazy, since I was always a little on the careful side with relationships, but today would be different. It's Pennsylvania, I know no one in this state, except for the people who brought me into this circumstance, and I would be soon going home. No doubt they would get drunk like fuck, and won't remember that stranger girl. Hell, they might not even remember that there was a stranger girl.

"Jenny, how about some music?" Tucker, one of the guys from the second group of people said.

"We're waiting till the sun goes down so we can use the lights!" Jenny screams from the other side of the yard.

"Ah, good idea," he says to our little group. By then, I lost Asher. He wasn't in the same group of people as me, and I didn't know where he was.

I smile, acknowledging what he said. Mary weaves her way through to our group, and says, "Jenny is starting to mix drinks you guys," in an excited way.

"You like alcohol?" Tucker asks me. I admit I had been flirty with him for a while. He had the kind of personality you just couldn't resist. He also wasn't bad looking either. He had a nice mess of spiky hair and an amazing goatee. I wasn't one for facial hair, but he made it look good. _Really good_.

"Uhh," I told him, "I can handle it, but I don't care for it." I wasn't lying either. My family on my dad's side was mostly alcoholic, and soon, it became an inheritable thing. So, if I wanted to get drunk, I had to drink more aka get heavily intoxicated. I wasn't having that; I didn't want to make a fool of myself.

"Your body has good resistance, eh?" he tells me, and motions me to follow him—he motions us all to follow.

I see Jenny mixing up liquor. Silver Patron Tequila mixed with wine coolers, Grey Goose Vodka mixed with some other brand I didn't recognize, and I wondered if she would play with the beer, she was that into it.

I spot Asher, and he was looking like he was having a good time too. He catches me looking, and he smiles and waves. I smile and wave back and mutually, we went back to conversing with the people we were with. Meanwhile, Mary turned the music on, blasting it up. Many of the people cheer.

"So, how old are you?" Tucker asks me. I hate the age question, almost as much as the "will it fit you?" question, especially in parties.

"Seventeen. And you?" I can almost feel he will be over seventeen; maybe not by much, but it ruined the mood somewhat.

"Just turned twenty," he told me. Goddamn. He was nice, and human too.

"Ah, one more year and you can drink legally," I tell him, trying to lighten the mood. It worked, because he laughs, and says, "Yes, I have stayed sober all my life to savor the taste of alcohol on my twenty-first birthday," he said in a light, sarcastic mood.

I had an idea. I might never see him again, but I wasn't about to let the whole flirting go to waste. Another person might be on my mind…

"Well, you have a year almost; I only need three more weeks and I'm going to be eighteen. I'm going to get me some smokes, a lotto, a ticket, and porn." I look at him in the eye as I say this. While I wasn't into smoking, gambling or porn, I was going to get everything, just because I could.

"Porn? Really? You don't strike me as the type," he told me.

I laugh. "I'm not. But I would love to see the expression on the cashier's face when I put the magazine and maybe a video on the conveyor belt."

"Oh man," he says, laughing again, "I would love to see that expression. I can just picture it." I could picture it too, and soon, we were laughing like maniacs.

And that was before we began to drink.

* * *

Almost two hours after the music and the drinks were mixed, people we talking louder, more people were dancing, and people were beginning to do drinking contests.

I watched with Tucker and my group of new friends as I watch Jack start a drinking contest with someone whose name I forgot. I think his name was Mark.

Well, anyways, they both decided on the Grey Goose mix, boasting about their ability in being able to drink five shots and still be standing somewhat straight.

I didn't believe their boasts, and it must have looked in my face, because Tucker says, "It's true. They don't hold on much long after that, but they can take five shots in a speed race."

"Oh, that changes everything," I say, though still not admiringly. To drink five shots so quickly makes you drunk quicker than drinking it slowly, like I was doing. I wanted to loosen up a little, let the worries go, and have fun just this once in this place that, had it not been I was in because of vampires, I might have liked. And…I wasn't really feeling any side effects. I didn't know what my limit was, since I never tested it by going to more than three shots, and I wasn't going to push it today.

Or so I thought.

Sure enough, the speed drinking went on past five shots. Everyone was clapping, except for me. I had a drink in my hand. Jack went up to eight shots, and then said he couldn't go on. The look on his face was enough to know that he was using the last of his sobriety to say it.

Mark drinks his eighth drink, and starts breathing heavily. He signals for one more, smiling evilly at Jack. He drinks half of it in one try, and as he makes a guttural sound to let the burning sensation go down, he drinks the last half. Everyone starts cheering wildly. Not all of us were speed drinking, so those that who were sober were helping Jack and Mark walk. They sat them down in a sofa, and told them to chill for an hour or two and let some of the alcohol fade.

"Are you up for it?" Tucker asks me. He smiles at me suggestively. He already had two drinks, while I was still on my first one. I was drinking slowly.

"Nah," I tell him, "I don't know my limit."

He gets his face closer to me, and says, "Well, you should know your limit. We will make sure nothing happens to you," he promised.

"I don't know," I said slowly. I would be up for it, but I didn't want to get drunk. What if I did something stupid?

"Oh come on," another person in the group says. "We'll make sure nothing happens to you _and_ we will make you a strong coffee to drink in two hours."

The struggle was evident on my face.

_Testing your limit is not a bad idea. Your resistance might even make him look bad. And you like being superior. Go for it._

You know, It? You're right.

"All right," I said. Tucker smiled his smile. It was a teasing, flirting kind of smile, one that made you feel you both shared a secret and he was thinking of it right now.

"Andrea? You're going against Tucker?" Jenny asks me, surprised.

"Mhmm," I say, gulfing the rest of my shot of pure vodka. It wasn't much, so I knew it wouldn't affect me as much (I hope).

"Tucker, are you trying to fuck up this girl?" Jenny chastises him.

"She says she can take alcohol. I want to have a speed drinking contest. I haven't gone against her," he said, as if it were obvious logic. "Besides, I already told Millie to make that strong coffee of hers when we are done."

Jenny didn't look convinced. "I don't know," she said slowly. "Andrea, he can handle a lot of alcohol," she told me, trying to convince me out of something I was firmly convinced to do.

"What? You think I can't take him on?" I ask her. It probably didn't help. It probably made it look like I was already off with that one shot. "I'm fine. Besides, coffee and a shower will sober me right up," I say placatingly, and smile at her. "Thanks for caring, but I'll be fine."

I sit down, and Tucker sits across from me.

"Alright," Mary says in a you'll-see tone. "What will your drinks be?"

"Everclear," Tucker says, smiling with mischief.

"I don't like the sound of that. What Mark and Jack were having," I said seriously.

"You didn't bring Everclear, so there is no Everclear," she told him, her turn to chastise him, and then to me, "Yes, we can do that."

He looked disappointed, but soon he looked excited. "So, you've never tested your limit?" he tells me, while we wait as Mary brings a couple of the drinks. She didn't give us the start signal, so I was guessing she'd bring more.

"No. So, if I get intoxicated to the point of comatose or something, and I survive, someone should tell me what it was. I'll always drink one or two under that." He smiled. I was reckless right now, and he liked that.

"I won't let that happen," he says. I smile in gratitude, but it reminds me of what Asher said in the woods.

_And you still can't let him out of your mind? He tripped you good, eh?_

I guess so…

"Alright," Mary says, getting ready to signal the beginning of our contest, when I see Jenny dragging someone to the front.

I pretend I don't see her, and hold my drink ready, and drink it up when she says, "Go!"

I blink several times, trying to let the burning sensation go down. I slam the shot glass down, and since I see Tucker go for the next one, I do too.

"Go!" Mary says, and we drink it up again.

We were probably able to go through eight rounds by the time Jenny made it to the front. Everyone wanted to see who was daring to go against Tucker, so they wouldn't make room for her.

"Andrea, stop. Tucker can drink _a lot_," she tells me, and then pushes the person she was pulling to the front. Asher. "Stop her," she tells him, worried.

"Andrea," he said, using my full name for the first time since the jail episode, "Stop." He said it loudly, but it was also quiet, since the music was blasted. His tone almost made me stop, but Tucker didn't even look fazed. I wonder how I looked…

"Stop," he repeated, "Before you _do_ get drunk."

"_Before?" Then you're not drunk yet. You're not giggling. It's not hazy. Drink it up! Beat this man!_

"I won't get drunk," I said, "He'll quit before it gets to that," I said, so sure of myself. Tucker smiles his secret smile, and it made me smile in return; probably not like his smile, but one that said watch out.

Asher shrugged. "We're going to talk to Ayrilyn after this. I don't know if you want to present yourself to her drunk, but whatever," he makes to walk back to where he was, but he turns around at the last second, and like everyone else, watches.

"Ready?" Mary asks. Jenny looks dismayed that it didn't work. Come to think about it, she mixed all the drinks, but she was the only one who didn't drink a single drop. Maybe I was a bit off…

"Ready," I say, gripping the shot glass, and drink it in one big painful gulp once she says "Go!"

That was drink nine.

By drink twelve, Tucker was slightly swaying. I was probably the same, but since this was the first time I ever drank this much, I felt like shit.

"Drink thirteen will be a tie-breaker," Mary says confidently.

"Go!" she says, and we both drink it. Tucker is smiling so wildly now, and I was smiling triumphantly while trying to hold down the drinks.

_Shit man. You went past buzzed now_.

"I'm not getting any more," Mary says. Everyone boo's. "Last time, Melv went on comatose, remember?" That brought back everyone into their sense, but they were still muttering their disappointment.

We smile at each other, knowing we will need that strong coffee and shower to be able to talk without slurring.

"What time is it?" he asked Jenny, who looked disappointed with me.

I don't care.

"Seven," she says bitingly, then to me, "Want to go take a shower?" she said kindly.

I shake my head, and go to sit down in the living room, where all the speed drinking idiots (yes, I'm an idiot) went to sit down.

I am aware I don't walk in a straight line, and some people are looking amused. Tucker walks a little straighter than me, and tries to help me. Just as he puts his arm around me, another arm grabs him. "I think," Asher said, "Both of you are drunk enough to need assistance, not one drunk helping the other."

Tucker smiled and said, "I'm good. I sway and slur, but that's about it. I can help her," he said, attempting to take a step towards the house.

"I said no," Asher said sternly. He removes Tucker's arm from my shoulder, and makes me walk by myself, putting his hand on one of my shoulders to lead me.

Tucker walks alongside us, seemingly not bothered by Asher's attitude. I wasn't bothered either. The room was spinning a little to care about attitude.

Asher sits me on the nearest sofa, and says, "Wait here. I'll get you the coffee."

I nod my head, not really listening. My ears were ringing too.

"Seems like you're safe with thirteen drinks," Tucker slurs at me as he sits next to me.

"Apparently," I slur back. It was horrible. Californians slurred words already, but alcohol made it that much worse.

"Are you sleepy?" he asks me.

"A little," I admit.

"I'm sure bro has to make to the coffee right now, and that coffee thing is old. Rest your head and sleep something," Tucker said, putting his arm around me. I automatically rest my head on his chest.

"With how many drinks I drunk, don't think I wake up soon," I said, not even talking coherently.

"I'll wake you up," he promised.

Despite being drunk, I can feel a fear of falling asleep. What might I dream?

"I don't want to sleep. Just rest my eyes," I said.

"Okay, okay. Rest," he said as he rested his head on top of mine and fell asleep.

I was almost falling asleep, when I was jerked awake. "Don't fall asleep," a soft but deep voice tells me.

"I was just resting em eyes," I said. I was feeling a little better, but Asher was still nowhere to be seen.

"I'm going to look for Asher," I told him. "I think I should go," I said groggily. I already admitted to myself I liked Asher, and being drunk (nah, tipsy maybe), I wasn't going to settle for anyone but Asher.

"Can I have your phone number?" Tucker blurts out. What happened to the whole awkwardness of him being older?

Meh, two or so years isn't that much, right?

"Of course," I said, not bothering to think about it. I give him my number and say goodbye.

I walk towards the kitchen, the logical place a coffee maker would be. I see Asher next to the coffee maker. I was about to go up to him, tell him we should just leave, and maybe tell him I like him.

What I see next is another drunk girl (haha…I'm drunk) trying to make a move on Asher. I stop on my tracks, and wait to see what he would do. She literally throws herself at him. He grabs her, but tries to keep his distance.

A familiar look was starting to shine in his eyes, one that I could recognize even if I am drunk.

The fear made me sober up quickly, even if not even halfway completely, all I would need is a little coffee and cold water splashed on my face.

Of course, in my still drunken stupor, I grew jealous. Jealous and possessive.

I walk up to Asher and the girl, still not walking in a straight line, and lean on the counter next to Asher. He looks at me, cold tell I sobered up a tiny bit, knew why, and smiled a little. His manic glean was back, and his smile wasn't appealing anymore; it was scary.

The different combination of stuff in my blood must have also been to his liking, because he got off the counter, put the girl a few feet away from him, and walked back to me, leaning on the counter again. Despite my being scared, my tipsy side (haha…tipsy. I'm not tipsy. Just a little dizzy) was still mad at the girl for jumping on Asher.

I looked at him for a couple more seconds, and then turned my attention to the girl, who was coming back.

Just as she was about to spring again, I say as distinctly as I can, "Get away from him; he's mine."

Mary was nearby, so when she heard me say that, she turned around, watching this new drama.

"You're his sister," she slurs back.

I glance at him quickly, look at her, and say, "No, we're not. I say this one more time, he's mine, so get away from him."

He was looking at me amused. (I'll deal with this later)

"Is this true?" the girl says, facing him. I look down. I didn't know what he would say.

Asher, being Asher, had a grin on his face, still amused, and said "If she said I'm hers, I'm hers; of course," he said, "That also means she's mine. Come to think of it," he added as he faced me, and I could see two different desires in his eyes, "She has been since day one."

He gets up abruptly and grabs my arm. "We'll be leaving now. I have to sober her up, and this coffee maker hasn't even done coffee halfway."

I smile at the girl, see Mary with her gaping mouth, and smile at her too. I finally listened to my conscious. I marked him as mine, and it felt damn good.

* * *

Yea, Dre gets drunk as fuck, she just doesn't know it, or won't admit it. Hope the content doesn't insult _anyone._ I know I already have had her be a little racist towards Friedrich, and even prejudice towards vampires (meanie haha), and very detailed descriptions of pain and torture. I hope you guys still like my story, and promise there will be no more explicit details on drinking :/ (DO NOT DRINK! It's NOT cool people! You could DIE of intoxication or go into comatose).

Shoutouts!

rocktheroxie: Again! Thank you! Much love!

Songs From The Heart: Sorry. This time, it was kind of independence and jealousy, but I still mention the "dark theme." I was scared it would be too obvious, because it's everywhere in the last chapter, and most of the time in this one, but I'm glad I can keep you guessing!

MyButterfly364: Yes! You know my end! And I told you about her getting tipsy! (Though, as I wrote it, I decided she should be drunkkkkk haha). And yea, these chapters are getting **_LONG!_** (I hope people don't mind that. I get lost in detail and little things, as you can see.

Thank you for reading! Go check out my poll! Review? It would SO make my day :)


	13. Girl, Sober Up

Oho! I can _totally_ bet you will _not_ see the end coming! And better yet(!) I have the next chapter all planned out, and you will not _believe_ what I have in store for this kid!

* * *

Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.  
-Charles Bukowski

_Asher, being Asher, had a grin on his face, still amused, and said "If she said I'm hers, I'm hers; of course," he said, "That also means she's mine. Come to think of it," he added as he faced me, and I could see two different desires in his eyes, "She has been since day one."_

_He gets up abruptly and grabs my arm. "We'll be leaving now. I have to sober her up, and this coffee maker hasn't even done coffee halfway."_

_I smile at the girl, see Mary with her gaping mouth, and smile at her too. I finally listened to my conscious. I marked him as mine, and it felt damn good._

We headed back to the front door, and the elation of seeing the expression on that girl's face and Mary's was still showing on my face, so I probably looked a mess. A drunk person sobering up, but still not sober enough to wipe a ridiculous grin off her face.

Just as Asher was leading me to get out the front door, I hear someone say, "Hey, Andrea, you're leaving already?"

It was Tucker.

_Teehee. What's going on, you think?_ my mind was asking me.

I have no clue, I cleverly responded.

Before I could respond, Asher said, "Her parents will get mad if I don't bring her home _soon_. They'll think I took her out to bang her, and I didn't today, so I'd rather keep the clean streak."

Did he have to make it sound as if we've had sex a million times?

Did he have to say _bang_ rather than _they'll think we're up to no good_?

I have to say, Tucker seemed to be sobering up quickly, and he looked surprised. "You have a boyfriend?" He had a smile that showed a little embarrassment and amusement.

I opened my mouth to say _something_, but nothing would come out. Finally, I just said, "Uhh, yea," in an embarrassed sort of way.

He smiled again, that smile that seemed as if we shared a secret, and he was thinking about it.

I kept from giggling, and said, "Well, I have to go. It's been nice meeting you," and I turn around, looking at Asher, seeing more amusement in his eyes.

Oh dear. He'll tease me about it the rest of the way, won't he?

_I think he will. Have fun dear._

He'll be teasing you too.

_Nooo, you already said we're different people. Now you want to change your mind because it's convenient?_

Well, yes.

_Manipulative bitch._

Back at you dear.

"Ready to go?" I ask him, after it seems he is only going to stare at me.

With this, he smiled an undistinguishable smile. It was one that reminded me of people who loves to tease others, and he or she just heard something else to add to the teasing.

I guess you can call it a grin-teasing-smile.

"I've been ready," and with that, he dragged me across the front yard and out of the house.

_So, he used what you told him _that_ one time, eh?_

It's not funny, is it?

_No, not really. I think you're blushing, by the way_.

Hmm, thanks for telling me.

_Yea, no problem_.

"Hardy har har," I manage to say without butchering it.

"Yes, quiet so," Asher said. I didn't know who to reply to that, so I stayed quiet, and looked at my surroundings. We were walking in a normal suburban neighborhood, and it felt strange; we were always in the wild, or near vampire-infested apartments that look like they've been left forgotten.

Being here, in the middle of the night, with someone I just claimed as mine felt weird. And I didn't even know why. Maybe it was because I associated "normal" with a place like this, and here I was: still drunk, wearing inadequate clothes in relation to the weather, and a vampire was pulling me by the hand.

_Hey, remember when you were trying to pretend he was a vampire hunter above all else?_

Oh yea. Well, a vampire hunter was holding my hand, taking me to God-knows-where.

"Where are we going?" I asked him, after about five minutes of silent walking. There I went again, filling in silences. Goddamn, I am extremely predictable.

_Do you think he saw your jealousy coming, then?_

Oh dear. I really hope not. You know, why are you being nice?

_I don't know. You know how you call me It?_

Yea..?

_How about Id?_

That's not funny.

_Why not? I think it's great wordplay, if you only think about it_.

Nuh-uh. You are not a part of me.

_You don't know that._

And why wouldn't I?

_Because you don't even know what you feel right now._

I do.

_No, you don't. Hell, you are even going around, flirting with boys, claiming a vampire as your own, and _elated_ that you did so._

What are you trying to get at?

_That you're a horrible person._

Thanks for putting it nicely.

_Yea, well—he's going to talk._

How do you—

"We're going to visit Ayrilyn, like I've been saying we are all day," he said, his face in such a control, it marveled me.

One minute, he was joking, making me feel uncomfortable, trying to make me blush, getting a kick out of it, and the next, he had a serious face, one that reminded me of his personality when I first met him.

_He's in his vampire mood. Don't rub him the wrong way._

Duly noted.

"Am I going to need the dress?" I said innocently, noticing he had the bag where I put all the dirty clothes.

He laughed darkly. "I already said I liked your tank top better than the dress. You don't need it," he said, a little bit of his joking personality surfacing, but then his darker side came out, "besides, if you wear it, people might think you were with her if she returned with her own red dress. You're just someone who made friendly chat with her when you toured here, and wanted to see if she is still around."

"Oh," I said in a flat voice; what else was there to say? "Okay."

He took a glance at me, a familiarly crazy smile on his face, and said, "I like your attitude."

He was making me nervous. I try to smile a way of saying thanks, but my lips faltered in doing so. Instead, it looked like I was trembling.

"Still scared of vampires, I see?" he said, dark humor in his face.

_Look at the ground. Humor might be in his personality, but right now, he's all vampire business._

I obey, and look at the ground. I realize I probably seemed submissive, but right now, that didn't matter. He went from fucking sexy to fucking scary.

And I'm sure my body chemistry was changing from to show my current feelings.

At least being a little drunk kept me from being fully excited by this fear, right?

My subconscious, automatic mind probably didn't comprehend what was going on as my conscious one did, and that weird adrenaline rush I get wasn't coming.

Or, maybe I had it all this time, and I was getting desensitized. I wouldn't be surprised. There is only so much fear a human body can feel until it just moves to shock.

But why now?

We were walking in the middle of the street, with just the sound of our steps and the _boom, boom, boom_ in the distance from the music at the party.

I continued to look at the ground, no longer sure what was going on, only knowing that the street was probably renovated, because the asphalt was very black, smooth, and full of glimmering little crystals, bright yellow striped lines, and blindingly white lines that reflected light and that signaled the street was coming to an end, and in big letters, "STOP." I look up to see the red stop sign, and I see it's battered, old, an enormous contrast to the new asphalt and paint job on the ground.

Yes, many people and cars abused that asphalt, and all those wheels slowly eroded the paint, and it lost its brilliance, its brightness, and then, its job. But the stop sign…who touches a stop sign? It's there. Either people listen to it, or don't.

Simple as that.

So, why is it so battered?

We, appropriately, stopped in front of the stop sign.

I wanted to ask what was wrong, or what was going on, but I didn't have it in me to do it. I just stood there, looking at him, as if I were an idiot.

He finally inched his face down a little, looked at me, smile still plastered on his face, when he said, "Someone is coming."

I couldn't breathe. "A vampire?" I ask him.

He shook his head, his smile a little more…amused, when he said, "A friend."

I hoped it was Karl, or Annaliese, _anyone_.

He grabbed my hand, and put his fingers between mine, the "lovers' hold," and we started walking again.

_Territorial much? I bet you fifty bucks it is our _very_ dear friend, Tucker._

You're on.

Not a minute later, we heard an Explorer full of drunken people get nearer and nearer. It finally lurches to a stop, and on the back seat is Tucker, rolling the window down. "Hey, Andrea, do you guys need a ride?"

Okay, so I know I wasn't sober, but I wasn't drunk either. I was starting to be a little more on the middle with this cool air, and maybe the fear was sobering me up a little too, so I had enough sense to say, "Hey, it's all right," but of course, flaunting things is Asher's lighter personality, so he said, "We would appreciate it, thanks man."

"There's hardly room for one," I dared to say. Hey, his attitude went from ice cold to social in a matter of a blinking eye.

With that, he smiled. "You said I'm yours, so, because I am, you can sit in my lap." While I raised my eyebrows, he winked, and I couldn't help but let a very small grin come out.

"Alright," I said.

Tucker opens the door, gets down, and slides the seat back. Asher, still holding my hand in his, got on the back, where there was room for us, but just barely.

Not bother to think about it, or grow paranoid about it, I sit in his lap, where his other hand snaked around my waist.

Feeling at ease, I rest my head on the crook of his neck and shoulder. It felt so comfortable, and I was a little sleepy, so I didn't mind closing my eyes, but for some goddamned reason, images of the little boy in my dream popped up, and I went rigid. Asher felt the rigidity, and I can feel his neck muscles flex as he faced down at me. His hand went from around my waist to the top of my head.

"Calm down," he told me soothingly. "Close your eyes, and picture your room," he told me, and he let my hand go, and held the top of my head with both hands.

_Confuse her, why don't you?_

I _know_, right?!

"What's wrong?" I hear Tucker say.

"Feels a little sick," he said softly, since everyone was quiet and just looking at us.

"Does she need us to stop?" the driver asked.

"No, she wants to see someone before I take her home," he explained while letting his hand slide back down to my waist.

I felt the car stop anyway, and at first, I thought the driver wanted to kick me out, but the majority of people got out of the car, and it only left six people, including me and Asher.

I didn't bother getting off his lap.

"So, this rumor that you guys were siblings was false then?" I heard someone ask. I look up, and am surprised to see Jack, one of the guys that came early and who played the speed rounds and got drunk.

He certainly looked better now. His hair was wet, and his breath smelled of a strong minty mouthwash.

"They most certainly were," I said, my voice hard and decisive.

"Yea," Asher added, "Not the only time people have tried to separate us," he said, making it sound as if we were fighting for this thing, whatever it was.

Which I guess we were. Right?

"So, what keeps you guys together," Tucker asked, not minding that a few hours ago, we were flirting. Heck, he probably flirted with everyone at the party.

"She has a certain appeal, don't you think?" Asher asked Tucker. I had my face partially covered by Asher's face and my hair, but I can see Tucker looking at Asher in the eye, then he smiles his secret smile, looks me over, and says, "Several."

Asher laughs, which makes me mad. "I certainly stand corrected."

Why do I apparently attract perverts?

_Hey, at least they are hot perverts, right?_

Hey, that doesn't help.

_You like a little dirty now and then. Heck, you're _sitting_ on dirty._

Wow. My own mind was being horribly blunt.

_Think about it. You've had a pretty uneventful life when it comes to guys. You never want to commit to _anything_, and the guys back home are nice, present no challenge, and basically boring. Here, they are challenging, hard to understand, reckless, dangerous…_

True…

"You made Dre blush," Asher said.

Tucker laughs. "I don't see her blushing."

"I can feel her face go warm," he told Tucker, and then to me, "Show him."

"No, thanks."

Once again, they laugh.

Aren't they supposed to stay quiet?

"Well, this is my stop," someone said. He says bye to the driver, Mac, then to Tucker and then nods to me and Asher. I wave bye while Asher nods back.

Once that person goes inside, and the driver starts to drive again, Asher forces me face up by grabbing my chin, and gets closer to my face.

_He's going to do the claim game now. He wanted everyone relaxed and friendly, then _bam._ He's going to kiss you dear_.

I'd like that, but…my breath probably reeks of alcohol.

Just as he is about to close the gap, I put my hand between us. "I reek of alcoh—" but he just took my hand away, and kissed me anyways.

Second kiss so far, but this time, it is a light kiss. But, no matter how light, or how heavy, I feel the same intensity.

Rather than feel self-conscious about it, I go with the flow.

How being in a car full of drunken people made Asher even think about kissing me like this, I have no idea. But I didn't want to fight it. I didn't want to fight anything, except maybe sleep.

It started slow, and for a few moments, it stayed slow, but then, one of his hands was holding my chin, making sure I wouldn't break the kiss, while the other one was going up and down my side, from my hip to my rib cage. Meanwhile, my hands were holding _his_ face, one on his cheek, the other grabbing his hair.

God, how I loved his hair. An unbelievable black mess, and despite its mess, it was somehow silky, thick, alive.

I didn't even remember being on his lap anymore, I just knew my hands were engulfing him, and his were engulfing me.

"Hey," I hear someone say, "Before you guys take your clothes off, tell me where you want me to drop you off," the driver said.

I look towards the driver, unintentionally breaking this kiss, and I became hyperaware of everything. I could see Tucker look at us amused, and gives Asher a praising smile.

I can see the driver's face even though it's quiet dark, and it showed a sort of disappointment.

I guess he thought I would try to make "my touchy boyfriend" keep his hands to himself.

I keep from smiling as "Id" said, _you thought wrong. You thought _very_ wrong_.

Asher sighed, disappointment saturating it, and said, "Can you stop by the Montgomery Amish village?"

"Don't tell me you guys are _Amish_," Tucker turned around again, shock evident in his face.

"No," Asher explained. "We need to talk to someone."

"That Ayrilyn girl?" Tucker asked.

At this, I looked up, interest in my facial expression. How the hell did he know?

"I remember you telling Andrea about seeing an Ayrilyn after the party," he explained when both Asher and I stayed quiet. He looked at us expectantly, waiting for an answer, whether it be a _yes, her_, or _it's none of your business_.

Finally, I blurted out, "Yes, we're about to go meet her."

"Why?" he asked, truly just curious.

"She knows a friend of mine who owes me money," Asher said.

I didn't say anything, but I'm always surprised at the sincerity of his words. He hardly lied. He uses his _real_ name, he told me about being a vampire hunter, he correctly predicted the boys' and girls' expressions when they see us, and didn't bother making himself not sound cocky, and he was telling him basically the truth in everything.

Why? Aren't vampires supposed to lie, have fake identities, pretend to find people boring, busy out drinking blood?

_He's not a normal vampire, remember?_

Yes, I remember.

"Ah, money," Tucker said knowingly. "I can bet you need it urgently, right?"

"I suppose you can say that," Asher nodded.

Before Tucker could respond, the driver stopped. "Montgomery Amish village," he said, as if he were a bus driver.

Tucker got off, slid his seat forward and waited for us to get off. I let go of Asher's hair, the only thing my hand held on to after we broke the kiss.

As I get off, I almost trip, and Tucker grabs me to steady me. "Careful," he said.

I sigh. Now I'm tripping over nothing. "Thanks."

Asher gets off, and is about to slide the seat back, but then he goes back in, and he reappears with the bag with our stuff.

"Well, take care," Tucker said as he let go of my shoulder and got back into the car, this time, in the passenger seat.

I stare at Asher, trying to see if he would go back to his darker attitude, but when he looks at me, he looks like he has during the day, and then says, "You know, you're always the one to break anything we get going on."

I look at the ground, and manage to laugh an embarrassed laugh. "I don't mean to," I say with brutal honesty.

I didn't notice when I began to rub my arms to create friction, but Asher did. "You're cold," and then began to untie the bag.

"_I'll_ look for it," I said, now self-conscious of him rummaging through my things. I pull out the sweater Zeke gave me a long time ago, and put it on, not bothering to zip it up.

"Put your jeans on," he recommended, looking at my bare legs, and then the village.

Oh, right. Amish village, where girls wear cloth to cover everything except fingers and face. And what was the completion of cloth covering me? About twenty-five percent?

"There's no place to change," I say, careful not to trigger anything that might make him go back to his attitude. However, I was fooling myself. The second he said _you're cold_, his dark personality came out.

"Just change here. Who's going to see?" he asks.

Well, there's you…

I scoff. "Fine." Before I regret it, I take my sneakers off before I unbutton and yank my shorts off, and grab the jeans Asher was holding for me, and put them on quickly. I look up to tell him I'm ready, and he is looking elsewhere.

_He's well behaved when he is all vampire-y, isn't he?_

Yea, he is.

"Okay, I'm ready," I say as I am slipping back to my sneakers.

He beckons me to follow with his head, and he walks with purpose to the village. I had to run to catch up with him, and fall behind when my sneaker slipped off. I crouch, put it on correctly, and then jog to catch up to him.

"Do you know where she lives?"

"Yes."

I keep quiet the rest of the way, because I have nothing to say, not even trying to fill in the silence.

The place was dark, since everyone probably went in their homes as soon as the sun set, so I fan myself to cool me off. I wanted to take the sweater off, and as I start to do so, Asher's hand grabs my wrist.

"You're in an Amish community. Suffer through it," he said.

I scoff again. I hate feeling stuffy.

"It's not far," he encouraged.

I nod. Sure enough, one more turn, and Asher stops in front of a house.

"Knock, and drive her out," he told me.

"What?" I whisper. "She won't trust me."

"Yes, she will. Go."

I sigh, and I knock at the door quietly.

I don't hear anything, so I knock a little louder. God, this is so _embarrassing_.

I hear shuffling inside the house, and I see a dim light underneath the door. A little window opens up, and I see a pair of green, tired, defiant eyes.

_Ayrilyn_.

The eyes turned to huge saucers, and shock was evident on her face. "What are you doing here?" she asks me, using the same whispering yell I used on Asher seconds before.

I looked behind me, to see if Asher was still there, but he wasn't. He had either dropped me off here, or he was hiding. I wanted to think it was the latter.

"I need to talk to you," I whisper back to her once I face her again.

Apparently, she thought I turned around because I had escaped him, and was making sure I wasn't being followed or something, because she closes the window, and quietly opens the door, and gets out.

"I have to tell you something," I told her.

"You ran away didn't you?" she asked me, excited.

"Uh…no," I say, ashamed now that I was standing in front of someone who will always be morally stronger and superior to me. "I've…" I look down before I blurt it out, "…been tempted by the dark one." I look up at her, and see her coming close to laughing.

"What?" I ask her, thinking she must think I'm the worst.

"Ever since that happened, I've been too," she said. "And here I was, thinking that you'd probably be stronger than me, or be able to resist it because you seemed pig-headed—"

She couldn't continue, because she came close to have a loud giggling fit.

I also noticed she was wearing jeans and a shirt.

She obviously didn't want to be part of the Amish community anymore.

I guess being around vampires made you lose _those_ ideals. Still, I couldn't help but make a face as Ayrilyn laughed.

Did she have to be so blunt about it?

* * *

Yea! I had no clue for this chapter. I guess you can say it's a "filler," but I also wanted to bring Asher's darker personality back, if you couldn't notice my oh-so-subtle(NOT!) indications of his returning vampire-y personality.

Ahem: I have a picture of a rock star _god_, who I pictured when ever I wrote about Tucker. You can go check him out and drool alongside me and Dre...you can see why she flirted with him like she did ;P He's in my profile, so don't be shy to check him out :)

Special thanks to:

Songs From The Heart: She most certainly _is_ a flirt! Just goes to show you that she is not a good little girl, but rather, can actually be a little naughty. My point: she is not this perfect girl with perfect morals. Just a girl who is kinda pretty, not sure of herself, but knows how to attract the opposite sex (even if she doesn't mean to). You spoil me with such flattery dear! I thank you :)

MyButterfly364: Haha! Of course, you were not as bad as Dre! And at least (or maybe, sadly?) you didn't have a vampire to claim? But really, wtf with greasy stickers? Haha.

rocktheroxie: Yes, drinking bad, and glad you like the detail. That is something I have grown fond of a couple of months ago (my other vampire story wasn't even close to being as detailed until lately because it's become my writing style :D)

Tywien: Thank you for liking my story! I did want to put something different on the table, and hope I succeeded thus far :) I shall keep trying to keep up the good work :)

VWH luv them all: Comical relief, something I have in, like, every other chapter (like this one) haha. Hope you like it!

Would like to thank my readers who review, AGAIN! Before my break, nine chapters got me 25 reviews...three got me 12! Makes me happy, and you have no idea how much :)

I feel in a good mood now that I wrote something (well, I finished this couple days ago). So much so, that I am focusing my writings to this story and Untitled, since they got the most votes (though not by much haha).  
By the way, next update will be a "Get To Know..." Who will it be? Any suggestions?

Review! Review! Review!


	14. Big Change

Lust's passion will be served; it demands, it militates, it tyrannizes.  
-Marquis De Sade

_I also noticed she was wearing jeans and a shirt._

_She obviously didn't want to be part of the Amish community anymore._

_I guess being around vampires made you lose those morals. Still, I couldn't help but make a face as Ayrilyn laughed._

_Did she have to be so blunt about it?_

"Uh huh," I said, looking at her disbelievingly, "Keep laughing, we only have all night."

"I'm sorry," she said, "But I just can't believe the chances of meeting with someone who happened to go through the same deal, almost as if it's written in stone or something," she said.

I didn't like what she said. I was one of those people who like to believe we as humans have _some_ free will, and we play best we can with the cards we are dealt with. But I had to admit, what she said sounded so tempting to accept.

It was almost a scapegoat for me. A simple 'hey, it's not your fault. It's not like you _wanted_ to, but it happened, so it wasn't like you were looking for it…it just happened…' … yea, it just happened.

_Accept it_.

I don't want to.

_How else do you explain everything?_

I chose to do so; I crumbled into desires, nothing more. I could have done something, _anything_ really, to stop it, but I did not. Now, I face my consequence.

"What's wrong?" Ayrilyn asked me, no longer laughing. Was my expression that evident?

"It would be sad," I said, "If our meeting was set in stone. Almost as if our sudden comradeship was forced, not natural."

_So honest. It is very becoming._

Not now.

Ayrilyn went a little quiet. "Very true," she said, "But then again, I never wanted to venture from my community—_ever_," she said, as if she were getting lost in thought.

"Why _did_ you leave your community?" I asked her. I always thought Amish communities were tight-knit.

She snorted. "I may have let a vampire touch me, but that doesn't mean I don't hate it as a race," she said. I looked at her, my face giving it away that I had no idea how that logically connected to what I asked her.

She sighed. "I still hate the blood suckers," she said, her voice so defiant, strong, confident, "And when I came back, I told my community members I wanted to be a vampire hunter."

She sighed again, this time in annoyance. "The council is mostly old, bearded men, so they laughed at me, and brought our local vampire hunter, and said, 'this is a vampire hunter, a man, not a _girl_.' So, I said something I heard you say, and they kicked me out of the room, and gave me an ultimatum: forget being a vampire hunter, or leave the community."

I looked at her warily. "Something you heard me say?" She nodded. "Like what?" I asked her.

She looked down, and said, "It's not something I can easily say."

"Tell me," I said.

"That they were, uh, fatass pieces of shit…Ahem," she said, obviously feeling uncomfortable.

"Hmm," I said, "Did you recognize the vampire hunter at least? Was it Karl?"

"If it was Karl, I wouldn't have said 'our local sucker hunter,' but, no, it wasn't him. It was someone who looked younger. He was pretty cute," she said, blushing at the last part.

_Vampire hunters steal that vampire essence…_

I nodded. I could certainly see her logic now. "Come to California with me," I blurted out. "We can go and forget everything happened, or we can go to my place, let you get used to something other than Amish lifestyles, and then you can be on your way."

Ayrilyn looked taken aback. She looked like she was liking the idea, and was at least thinking about it, but then she seemed to remember something. "I chose to become a vampire hunter. So, the requirement is that I have to make a kill to be able to get training."

"Wait, what?" I blurted out. Vampire hunting, an unrecognized profession, requires _training_? What kind of crap is that?

Ayrilyn nodded. "Stupid, I know, but I get it. Humans against vampires; mentality training and whatnot."

I nodded in return. "I guess it makes sense," I mumble. And here I thought that vampire hunters became so through heroic acts, or as an act of vengeance, but I guess not. I romanticize too much, is my problem.

I had to warn her. "Ayrilyn?"

"Hmm?"

"I didn't come here alone," I blurted out, before I would be too late.

She nodded again. It amazes me how much her attitude changed during the last couple of days. "I figured. How else would you have found me here? This isn't even my house."

However, despite how ready Ayrilyn was getting herself, she still jumped a little when Asher stood behind her, and he purposely blew air on her neck. She turned around quickly, and came to my side.

"Hello," Asher said, smiling, though it never reached his eyes.

_Vampire business._

I know.

"Hello," Ayrilyn said, keeping her voice strong.

"You certainly have changed within the last twenty-four hours," he said, looking a little surprised and awed, though hardly noticeable, if only because he nodded in appreciation.

"Yes," she said, her voice getting quieter at the last part, then louder and suddenly, "How can I help you? I really doubt this is a social call."

"I want to know where Friedrich is," Asher asked. He did not beat around the bush.

_Well, when did he ever?_

Very true…

"I don't know," Ayrilyn said, in a defiant voice.

He gave her a _don't mess with me_ look, but she stood her ground. He gave her a bigger threatening look, but when that didn't give any results, he suddenly pushed her against the wall, next to the door she had come out a couple minutes before, putting his elbow and forearm levelly at her throat.

"Like you said, Ayrilyn, this is not a social call," Asher said a quiet, husky voice, his words dripping with unsaid threats; "This is business."

Ayrilyn looked alarmed, not scared, but being careful. "I don't know," she persisted, but this time added, "I reckon he either went back to the apartment, or back to the mansion place." She grabbed his arm, and said, "I would appreciate if you be a little more civil around here." He looked at her as if she was beneath him, and then he let his arm drop back to his side.

Ayrilyn seemed as if she started to breathe again, put her hand right under her throat. "Thank you," she said primly.

"You're welcome," he said, with no way of knowing if he was sarcastic, or being serious.

"Dre," he said as he turned around, "Let's go."

I look at Ayrilyn, who was looking at me, and we looked at each other with unbelievable expressions. I wave at her, and start to follow Asher. I had about gone halfway when Ayrilyn yelled, "By the way, Alex figured you would look for him because of…'business.' He gave me the money." I turn around, and she is flaunting the money, with a positively mischievous smile.

I look at back at Asher, and I could see him smile tightly, as if to say _thanks for telling me _now_ of all times_. I smile at him, making fun of him, his business attitude fell instantly, and his comfortable character, the one I was accustomed to for the past few hours, resurfaced. Now, which is his real persona?

"Well, that makes it easier for me. Ayrilyn, kindly give me my money."

_Isn't he a kissup?_

Bahaha! He most certainly is.

"How do I know you will not kill me?"

"We're comrades," he said, and she looked surprised, almost scared, while he looked like he was enjoying this, whatever that was.

"Hmm, true," she said, and carefully walked up to him and gave him the money.

"Thank you, now let's go," he said. She sighed, and he turned around, and playfully put an arm around her. She tensed up again. "Didn't Dre say you could tag along?"

She snorted, and removed his arm. He didn't seem to have any hard feelings about it. "Since when do you let her make some of the decisions?"

He smiled childishly, and said, "Since she said I was hers alone."

He's not letting that go…

"What is this?" Ayrilyn asked, surprise evident, but soon recomposed her face. "Well, I guess we all saw it coming…"

"Excuse me?" I said, wondering how they could have possibly seen it. _I_ could not see it coming. How could _they_ see it coming?

Asher looked at Ayrilyn wonderingly as well. "Yes, how did you all see it coming?"

Ayrilyn looked at both of us incredulously. "Are you two blind?" Since she was in the middle, I could see Asher's facial expression, and I'm sure my expression was pretty much the same: a dumb, confused one.

Yes, vampires can have dumb, confused facial expressions.

She sighed, as if about to explain something to a couple of five-year-olds. "You," she said, pointing to Asher, "Have been a vampire hunter longer than you have been a vampire. In fact, it's only been recently, am I right?"

He nodded, and then said, "So, what about it?"

She sighed again. "You have more of a mentality of a vampire hunter. And anyways, I heard you wanted to look for the person who created you to destroy them and go back to a vampire hunter, so it would only make sense that you kept your vampire hunter mentality."

Then she turned to me. "And you," she sighed. "I don't know. You seem the type to just like challenges, and he," she pointed at Asher, "is a huge challenge."

I nodded. She certainly got the challenge part right.

"I'm still not getting the whole thing to do with me," Asher said, forcing Ayrilyn to tell him in a less subtle or clearer way. She said, "With the only exception of Karl and Annaliese—both to an extent—I have reason to believe vampire hunters are horny bastards." She looked at him, and her face must have been one of _there, now what?_ In turn, I looked at Asher.

It was the first time I had ever seen him look embarrassed, his face down, with a tight smile. Soon, though, he looked sideways, as if to say _that is true_. "Thanks for such beautiful wording," he said sarcastically.

I could see her smile. "I'm not in the Amish community anymore, so I'm going to try and learn the ways of current society."

"And where did you hear 'current society' says words like that?" Asher asked, looking bored but curious.

"Well, I know the bad words, I just never used them," she said, "But I heard Dre say a couple of them in one sentence at a time while we were bailing you guys out."

He looked at me, as if saying _you should be ashamed_. I held my hands out in front of me defensibly. "Hey, that's not my fault. I tried and make sure she wouldn't hear me!"

_You make it sound like Ayrilyn is a little child who should not be hearing those words._

In a way she is!

"But she did," Asher said, playing on my useless guilt. "You are corrupting an innocent mind." He looked close to laughing at this.

I looked at him; this situation was getting the best of me. "Whatever. When are we leaving?"

"Well, now it's two I'm taking to California, so soon."

I looked at Ayrilyn. "Do you have your stuff ready?"

She looked a little sad. "These clothes were things tourists left behind at my friend's house, so he gave them to me. This is all I have."

We heard a noise coming from the door, and a young man opened the door. Tall, lanky, blond-haired, blue eyes. "Ayrilyn?"

"It's okay. They're friends," she said. "This is one of my friends, Wyatt."

I remembered when Taelia was talking about how _Wyatt_ was Ayrilyn's best friend's boyfriend.

"Good to meet you all," he said, then looked at Ayrilyn, "You shouldn't be outside where they can see you," then to all of us, "Come in, please."

"Thank you," I said, and started to come in, but then I stopped. I looked at Asher, who looked like he wasn't going to move. "Come on," I said, extending my hand out automatically, "Let's go in."

He looked at my hand, and he looked at me. Then, he just shrugged, and grabbed my hand. Despite remembering what Ayrilyn said about vampire hunters being horny bastards, at least he wasn't trying to be all vampire-y right now, and when he wasn't vampire-y, I can get along with him just fine, even if he is going to act like a horny bastard.

"How do you know Ayrilyn?" Wyatt asked us as soon as we sat down. Ayrilyn was sitting in a rocking chair while he was sitting in a dining room chair, while Asher and I sat on the couch.

"What is it to you?" I asked, knowing I was being rude to our host, but I didn't want to flat out tell him _we met through vampires_.

He was about to respond when Ayrilyn said, "It's okay, Andrea, he knows what happened. Remember when I was talking about when the suckers captured me?"

I nodded, but was still looking at Wyatt. "How do I know your mother or father are not going to listen in?"

"The worst that can happen to you is you get kicked out," he said.

Right off the bat, I did not like this kid.

"How we know Ayrilyn, then, must be answered if you were there," Asher said arbitrarily.

"I want to know what your part was in all of this," he so kindly specified.

I really wanted to say something along the lines of 'it's not like you're her boyfriend,' with just enough cutting edge to make him shut up, but by then, Asher suddenly stood up, and because we were still holding hands, I was dragged up too.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he said, "But we have to go," he turned to Ayrilyn, "Are you going to stay with lover boy, or are you going to come with us?"

"I want to go to Wal-Mart," she said, biting her lip as she said it.

"With the money Alex gave me," Asher told her, "We have enough to go to California, and get to get some food."

"I need clothes," she said. This was getting familiar.

_You didn't support Ayrilyn back when they forced her to bail Friedrich out even when he was going to be released soon. It would only make sense if you help her now_.

"You can get a shirt at the airport," he said, his voice a mocking airy tone.

"Come on," I said, using my other hand to grab his hand, and I started to shake it like a five year old. "We all need clothes," then added, "I'll buy you some clothes, so we can still have enough to go to California."

He got closer to me, and whispered in my ear, "Actually, with Ayrilyn with us, I don't have enough. I was planning on using some of your money, since _you_ invited her."

"Alright!" I said, "We'll only buy two pairs so we can have two clean sets of clothing at one time. Please," I said, my voice quiet but evidently close to whinnying.

_And you hate winners._

They get annoying enough that you give them what you want.

Ayrilyn smiled, and playfully put an arm around his back, "Come on," he said, "Weren't we comrades? Don't they usually stick together?"

I still didn't get the whole comrade thing, but Asher seemed on the verge of collapsing to our demands. "You girls know you're acting like a couple of five-year-olds, right?" he said, his last ditch effort to get out of shopping.

Poor guy. Since he went with me to Wal-Mart, I could tell he hated shopping.

I had forgotten all about Wyatt, so when he spoke, I turned to the sound of his voice instantly, "I have some money Ayrilyn can use for clothes," he said, giving us about five or so twenties.

Ayrilyn walked up to him, and hugged him. "Thank you, very much," she said quietly.

He blushed, and said, "Don't think about it. Go, before they come here and find you."

She nodded, and started walking to me and Asher. "Please, it'll be quick. I just need some clothing to get started with my new life."

Asher sighed, stared at the floor, and said, "Alright then," while he sighed.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Asher said to Wyatt, he opened the door, waiting for Ayrilyn to go out, and then me, and he closed the door himself, not waiting for Wyatt to acknowledge what he said.

"It's going to be quick. In and out," he said as we walked brusquely.

"Yes," Ayrilyn said happily.

I started skipping. I always loved shopping, especially when it was for myself, but being able to influence Ayrilyn with clothing styles was a thrill for me.

"And what are you so happy about?" Asher asked me. I swung our still connected hands, and said, "You are my favorite vampire-slash-vampire-hunter because of how nice you actually are."

"Yea, well, you two take advantage of that," he said, as always, quietly.

"We're just being girls," I said, as if that explained everything. Which, in a way, it did.

"Mhm," he said sarcastically.

"You know," Ayrilyn added, "You are so different when you are away from other vampires," she told Asher. "Why is that?"

He shrugged. "I have to keep a façade, so it would only make sense to let a little of a vampire's nature to come out while I am pretending."

"And, why are you?"

"I don't like being a vampire," he said to her. "I've only been one for a couple of years, but I don't want to be in the vampire community. I was well off in the vampire hunter community, so I will keep true to that lifestyle and kill vampires till the day I die."

_Whoa. This guy is serious about being a vampire hunter_.

Tell me about it.

"Is there any way to reverse those effects?" she asked.

"Yes. You kill the vampire that created you and you break that link. It doesn't make sense, but it works."

"But that's only if you kill the vampire yourself, right?"

"Exactly."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe because…I don't know. I didn't bother going to those seminars."

"Vampire hunters have to go through seminars too?" I asked, adding more to the disbelief that anyone would want to be one. Asher rolled his eyes as he nodded.

"Do they kill vampire hunters-turned-vampires?" Ayrilyn asked quietly.

"Yup," he said.

Before I could think of what I was saying, I said, "Bullshit! Why?" I covered my mouth with my hand and looked at Ayrilyn. "Sorry," I mumbled.

"See?" Ayrilyn said, "I get everything from you," then mockingly, "You are a bad influence."

"Sorry," I mumbled again. Sure, I had a sailor's mouth, but I was sure that I mostly kept it to myself. Suddenly, though, everything was just popping out with no thought of consequence.

"If you ask nicely, I might say why," Asher said. I glanced at him quickly; I was sure that he was mocking me.

Sure enough, he was, but not to the extent I thought.

"Can you tell me why?" I asked nicely. I even smiled nicely, masking my grimace. He always had that etiquette thing, and it gives me goose bumps that he would have that kind of attitude when he easily killed people.

He looked forward, not really looking at us as he talked, "If we don't take seminars, we don't learn how they are thinking, and some of the stuff for us is like general education is to college students: Requirements if we want to survive as vampire hunters."

"Then why risk it?" I asked.

"Because some of us become vampire hunters by accident," he said calmly. I had the impression that he himself became a vampire hunter by accident, but also remembered how he has always almost proudly said he considered himself a vampire.

As I was digesting this, I suddenly had the thought that maybe Ayrilyn also became a vampire hunter by accident, even if she wanted to kill bloodsuckers. It would make sense. She never wanted to leave her community, and she loved being able to use her religion as an excuse to get out of things. Now that she was kicked out of her community, she had to adjust to a new society's norms, and her actions could be guessed a little more, or influenced even.

"Did you become a vampire by accident?" I asked him.

"Yea, I did," he said, then "How long are we going to be in Wal-Mart? I don't want to be in there forever like last time."

"Just for a while," I said, waving my hand at him as if it'll be a breeze.

I knew I was lying. When you have two girls who want to shop, there is no stopping them.

Too bad there was no mall to go to; I would have been in heaven.

.x.x.x.

It took us about forty-five minutes to get to Wal-Mart. Throughout the whole thing Ayrilyn would ask Asher hunter-related questions, and I would listen. It really wasn't something that interested me.

The fact that Asher, a vampire hunter, would become a vampire, and his vampire hunter community would go after him was a huge turn off for me. Of course, I always wanted to forget that this ever happened to me, so vampire hunting was something that I would never want to do. Now, the possibility of being _hunted_ down by people I have known for years just made the profession completely unalluring.

When Ayrilyn saw the Super Wal-Mart, she gasped. "You like it?" I asked her, getting a kick out of her reaction.

"Yes," she breathed, "It's so huge!"

"Just wait until you see the clothes," I said, coming near close to squealing with delight. I hear Asher sigh, and say, "And you have a 'free card,' to make up for the next few minutes," I said, not really thinking about what I was saying. I just knew I would want someone to do me a favor if I was about to accompany them to do something I found unpleasant.

"'Free card'?" Asher repeated, looking at me as if I were crazy.

By then I was bustling with giddiness at the prospect of new clothes. "You have never heard of 'free cards'? Well, it's when we offer to do something for you in exchange for what you are doing," I explained, knowing I might or might not be making any sense.

He nodded once, to show he understood, then nodded to show that he accepted my free card.

Ayrilyn was about to just run in there once she saw a couple of cute shirts on mannequins, and Asher held an arm out across her to stop her. "Young ladies don't run with excitement," he said.

"Then what do they do?"

"Did you hear when Dre squealed?"

"Yea?"

"Well, that's how it goes."

_Yay! You're a positive role model for once!_

I know!

"But, isn't that just that Cali girl talk?"

Gee, thanks a lot.

"No," I intercepted, "Its how any excited girl at the prospect of new clothes would react."

I couldn't handle it anymore. I grabbed Ayrilyn's hand, then Asher's and pulled them to the youth section.

"Pick any color or shirts you like and _would wear_," I explained to her. She nodded and headed into the aisles, and Asher pulled me back.

"What?" I asked him, knowing I did something wrong.

"How do you know it'll be enough?" he muttered ominously.

"How many clothes does she need from here to California? I'll _give_ her some of my clothes back at home," I explained to him.

"I saw that evil look in your eye," he said sarcastically, "You are going to pick some stuff too."

"Just a few things," I said, not bothering to pretend I wasn't thinking that stuff, "Please?"

He looked about to respond to that, but someone spoke out to us before he did. "I'm sorry," I heard a grandmotherly voice say, "But you are one of the cutest couples I have ever seen," she said, taking out her camera and snapping a picture. She offered to let us see it, and in one look, I can see confusion written in _both_ Asher's and my face.

"Oh, come on," she said again, "Can you pose for me? I couldn't help but overhear you two, and it was just adorable."

"Uh, s-sure?" I said, looking at Asher, my eyes begging him to do something. He shrugged, making himself indifferent to the whole situation, and gave me a look that said _just do what she says…I guess_.

I smile at the old woman, and put my arm around Asher, and he does the same. He brings me really close, and rests his face on my head, and I can feel him smile.

"Say cheese!" she said. When neither of us said it for three seconds, she just took the picture. She offered to show us again, and the picture surprised me.

_You two really _do_ look good together. It's meant to be! It's fate!_

Wouldn't it be nice…

"There you go," I said, wanting to go look for new clothes.

"Good night," Asher said, and quickly followed me and we hightailed it out of there.

Still holding my hand, he used his right hand to get the ring out of his left hand. He motioned with his head for me to look at my left hand, and I wanted to slap myself.

Of _course_ the old woman thought we were a couple. He was holding my wrist as he was talking to me and we both still had the rings in our left hand. I take the ring off too, and I was about to hand it back to Asher, but he shook his head, and reached into his jeans pockets and pulled out a couple chains. He put the ring in them, and as he let it go all the way down, it stopped when big objects obstructed it from going farther.

"Oh, those are awesome pendants," I said, admiring the silver winged-shaped pendant with a purple stone on the top of the wing, where it would attach to a body. There was also a key, as well as one with a heart, though it looked ominous, with a point that looked like a stake go down, and wings attacked to it. "What's up with all the wings?" I asked, as I made to get them, but stopped.

Asher knew that I wanted to see them, and handed the two chains with the three pendants. He even explained it to me as we walked back to the female youth section. He grabbed my arm whenever I was about to bump into something while I concentrated on the beautiful, gothic designs of the pendants.

"They all are a part of my vampire hunting days," he sighed dramatically, then continued, "The wing with the purple stone is something I made while I worked as a blacksmith; I always liked to think vampire hunters are higher beings for getting rid of the pestilence of vampires. The one that is a key with the shield is the pendant I received when I went to a certain vampire-hunting village. You need a key to get in—literally. The one with the heart, wings, and stake going through is a design Karl and I designed once we became well-known. If you notice, both Karl and Annaliese will have one too. The only things they don't have are the wings and key," he looked thoughtful as he said it, the only time I looked up. When he talked again, I turned my attention back to the pendants, "I only made one of those wings—which everyone wants now," he grumbled, "And the keys are starting to become scarce as vampires kill the vampire hunters and melt the silver to make their own things, so the vampire-hunter town is for the very few who still have them—and those who are along a vampire hunter who has the pendant."

"Wow, so you're a vampire hunter OG, eh?" I say, using the next best thing I could think up of as reference.

He snorted a laugh, and said, "Yea, something like that." He then, _very_ subtly, changed the topic, "So are you going to pick out your clothes?"

"Uhh…" I said, looking at the pendants, not really wanting to let them go. "Maybe later," I said.

I saw him smirk. "You can wear them if you want. I know you like them—everyone does." I smile at him, and put them on. One chain had the wing and key; the other one had the heart. They clinked nicely when I stepped back and said, "Well, how do they look on me?"

Asher looked at my face, then the pendants. "Very becoming," he said approvingly. I smiled again, and said, "Okay, I'm ready to look for clothes now," and skipped to the jeans and shorts section.

I did feel a little sorry for Asher when I heard him sigh, but these cargo pants soon caught my attention. They were black, with enough pockets to fit me a nice mini fridge, with accessories to boot. They were also baggy, things I like when it is hot and I don't want to feel suffocated. I saw the price, and almost let it bother me.

I consoled myself by thinking that I had eight hundred dollars, and Asher probably had about five hundred. So, all together, we had about thirteen hundred dollars; it wasn't going to be too bad.

I saw a couple jeans and shorts I could not resist. I grabbed four different colors each: red, yellow, orange, and purple for shorts and red, yellow, green, and black for jeans. I already had the blue ones I got earlier, so I didn't worry about that color.

Next, I went to see the shirts. I grabbed a tank top of every color in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white, black, and brown. I didn't even check out the tee shirts or regular shirts; tank tops would do just fine.

I saw an empty cart nearby and dumped all the clothes in there.

As I was about to go and look for Ayrilyn, Asher's hand grabs my shoulder tightly. "I need…" he said, gasping for air, "Fresh…air. Be…right back," he said, and walked brusquely towards the entrance. I looked back at him with confusion, and then something hit me.

I grow excited when I shop, and when you get excited, you get…

_Adrenaline and blood rush_.

I excited my vampire hunter…

.x.x.x.

Before I could make up my mind whether to stay rooted on the spot or go look for Ayrilyn, Ayrilyn found me.

"Oh my God, you got the baggy pants too?" she asked excitedly. I turned to her, determined to hide any confusion on my face, and smiled, looking at her cargo pants, which were camouflage than black. I also noticed she only got jeans and tee shirts, nothing shorter.

"Yea," I smiled, and took the opportunity to go to the bras and underwear section, where I helped Ayrilyn pick out underwear her size (we were about the same size anyways), and helped her pick out bras, since she always tailored her clothes before this.

I bought about two dozen pairs of socks (you can never go without enough socks), and a trench coat, just because it made me feel like I was a private detective.

As Ayrilyn and I went to go to the line, the sub total came out to three hundred ninety-two dollars with eighty-six cents, and with tax, it came out to four hundred sixteen dollars with forty-three cents.

I personally thought it was a steal, considering me and Ayrilyn went loose, but when we found Asher outside, sitting down with his head down, and his hands on his neck, he didn't think so.

"Four hundred dollars Dre," he said, once I told him how much we spent. "Four _hundred_ dollars. It couldn't be forty dollars, or even one hundred dollars, but _four hundred_? Now we can't afford the plane tickets. Do you like Pennsylvania that much?" he asked me a way only a father would.

I stood quiet, not wanting to offer to go back and return the things, and hoping he didn't consider it.

Apparently, he didn't, because he sighed, and said, "I'm not going to help with all that."

"Oh, that's okay," I tried to say positively once I thought I was off the hook. "Ayrilyn thought smart and got a huge traveling bag," I said this as I kneeled down, and told Ayrilyn to help me stuff as much as we could in there.

In the end, we only had two more bags out, where we each got one, and put two of everything: shirts, jeans/shorts, underwear, socks, bras, etc. They were bulging, and Asher agreed to hold the traveling bag.

"You _are_ nice," Ayrilyn said, and he closed his eyes and nodded.

No, it wasn't because he was being nice. He was getting thirsty again, and apparently, he has been holding it for some time now.

As I lost time thinking it, Ayrilyn continued, "No, really. You're actually quiet the softy."

"Where did you learn _that_ slang?" Asher asked, not liking being called a softy.

"Alexander called you that as we were walking to the apartment. He said 'Asher sure is a softy when it—'"

Asher interrupted her, "Blah, blah, blah. You being naïve about today's slang is funny and all, but I don't like the idea of being in a bus for four days on the way to California with you two."

I saw Ayrilyn smile. I kept a smile to myself, and knew what she was about to say.

The rest of the way to the bus station was quiet, with me and Ayrilyn following Asher. After thirty minutes of walking, we saw the building.

Asher went up to the window and asked for a schedule.

"Well, there is one that leaves in five minutes, but it will be two seventy-five each," the man said, looking like he needed people to fill his quota, but the price was outrageous.

"How much for three?" Asher asked quietly.

"Eight twenty-five," the cashier said after doing the math, and looking hopeful.

"Give me three then," Asher said, still quietly, and motioned me to get closer. I handed him the rest of my money, and he gave the man the money.

"Thank you for the purchase," the man said, with a slight hint of relief.

"You're welcome," Asher said.

"Are you all visiting family?" he asked Asher.

"No, just dropping my girl friend and her best friend off in California, then I head to a hunter village."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find it just fine," said the cashier, thinking that when Asher said 'a hunter village,' he thought there was a village by that name but Asher never heard of it.

_Always truthful_.

"Yea, I have a key anyways," he said, looking at the pendant I was wearing.

"Yes, good," the cashier said, not really trying to add two plus two, and said, "Well, best you board. Have a good trip young ones."

"Good night," I say, and follow Asher and motion Ayrilyn to follow.

We find an empty compartment at the very back, and we claim the entire back row.

We had been riding for an hour when Ayrilyn asked if she could use the travel bag as a pillow, and Asher adjusted it for her. Soon, she was fast asleep.

It left me and Asher, sitting next to each other, one fighting sleep, the other thirst.

I looked at Asher for a while, and finally made up my mind. "If you want," I said quietly, "You can get some of my blood."

Asher didn't even bother looking at me as I said it. Rather, he turned away from me. I knew it was because he didn't want to think about it.

"And waste my half-way fill? No thanks," he said.

"Think of this as the 'free card' I was talking about earlier," I said, looking at my shoes. From my peripheral vision, I could see Asher looking at me, evaluating how genuine my offer was.

"You're serious aren't you?" he asked me after a couple seconds. I could only nod.

"But you're drunk," he said, as he rested his head on the head rest, trying not to think of the offer.

I shrugged. "You know I'm pretty much sobered up."

"Your arteries are dilated with more blood flowing through—" he couldn't continue.

"Then it's perfect for you," I said. Then, thinking it might do the trick, I grabbed his hand and led him to the bathroom three feet away. Before I could drag him in there, he stopped me by standing tall and not letting me pull him.

"You don't know what you're doing," he said desperately.

I sighed. Then, I tried to imitate his persona, the alluring one he used in the jail, and said, "I know exactly what I'm doing." I tug at his hand.

With his desire for blood and the appeal my voice had on him, he let me lead him inside the small, cramped room. I grabbed a bunch of his hair, and whispered into his ear, "I don't have any regrets."

His hands snaked to my waist, and we once again started the ritual of kissing and blood.

This time, I didn't pass out.

* * *

Get to Know...Friedrich Alexander Abendroth!

age: 23

height: 6'0"

eye color: hazel

hair color: brown

signature: German name, German accent, German _everything!_

description: the German vampire with a deep, throaty voice that makes the harsh language sound good. Was left to die by a vampire. Been intent on looking for his creator, alongside Asher, ever since.

history: Friedrich is a very mysterious character, even to the person who created me (moi). He also does not know who created him. He was born in Berlin, Germany, still in Soviet influence (even though they had left a little eariler), and managed to successfully go to Poland (one of the seven that managed to escape...alive) at the age of 12. At 18, he decided to go to the United States, where he began to work as a cook. At the age of 23, he was about to go back to Germany when he was attacked by someone, and was left in the woods for dead. He was attacked by a vampire, but managed to survive, and was turned into a vampire. During his phazing process, the vampire hunter trio (Karl, Annaliese, and vampire-turned Asher) foud him. They decide to help him, and with Asher, Friedrich joins the vampire covern nearby. Being new, Asher and Friedrich had to watch over that night's dinner (Ayrilyn!). *enter my story* While Asher and Dre are waiting for Asher's sentence to end, Friedrich and Ayrilyn go back to the apartment, where Friedrich gets caught up into too much bloodlust and blindly attacks Ayrilyn. She kills him. He was only a vampire for four days...

strenghts: although vampire for only four days, he was able to go for four days without drinking blood (most vampires can go ravenous in up to two days).

weakness: N/A

likes: cooking, crack jokes, his heritage

dislikes: oppression (Soviet influence)

* * *

How did you like Friedrich Alexander Abendroth? RIP bro :/ Yea, he's dead. Ayrilyn killed him.

Did you like the hot picture of Tucker I put in my profile?

Well, how did that work out for you? Another filler thingy, yea, but it's a necessary filler, like last one, kinda, but no hard core action in the plot (unless you count the end...and then...I didn't say about anything that happened. I'm giving them privacy, see?) ((Think I might take another break...again...it's getting too time consuming for me, and I want a break)).

Special thanks to!:

Tywien: Yes, it _is_ good to have fillers sometimes. Now, this might seem like a filler, but really...it's important...I swear...kinda. It pretty much solidarized how seriously I'm starting to take this story.

MyButterfly364: Here is a little more about Ayrilyn, and how hardcore she can actually be. Don't let the religious girl facade get you! But, you already knew what she did ;)

Tell me who you would like to see featured in my "Get to Know..."! Review, review, review!


	15. The Special Bus

If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?  
- Will Rogers (1879-1935)

_With his desire for blood and the appeal my voice had on him, he let me lead him inside the small, cramped room. I grabbed a bunch of his hair, and whispered into his ear, "I don't have any regrets."_

_His hands snaked to my waist, and we once again started the ritual of kissing and blood._

_This time, I didn't pass out._

I also tried to be quiet, but it didn't necessarily work out. Small sounds escaped my lips, but at that moment, I didn't really care. We were the only ones awake at that time anyways. Everyone else was too tired to try to keep their eyes open after the first thirty minutes, but I still tried to be quiet anyways.

When we came out, I almost expected to see an attendant waiting for us, but there was no one there, except for Ayrilyn, who looked asleep. It reminded me of the time when I saw Friedrich knock her out cold, and I shivered a little.

"Cold already?" Asher asked, looking slightly surprised. I guess I did somewhat insult him, but I shook my head, and let go of him, trying to see if I could walk by myself. I didn't get far. My sleep deprivation and lack of blood combined made me almost collapse right before I got to the seats.

Once again, Asher grabbed me, and made it so that I landed on the seat by the window. He sat right next to me, since Ayrilyn claimed more than half of the back row when she fell asleep, and it only seemed natural for him to do that too.

He seemed much better now, and he looked at me for a while before saying, "Thank you. _Really_."

With a tired, small smile, I said, "No problem," and repeated, "_Really_."

He closed his eyes for a second, but then opened them again. "You should sleep. I'll be right here if you have another nightmare."

I couldn't look at him for a couple seconds, but then nodded, and I leaned on him. "Thanks," I sighed, and closed my eyes.

I had just barely heard him say, "You're welcome," and I fell asleep…

.x.x.x.

_I am running._

_At first, I think I am running away from something, but it soon becomes apparent that I am the one doing the chasing. A trench coat is flying around me, and I can hear myself cursing at myself for bringing such a bulky thing._

_I begin to run faster, and the person in front of me is a young man. _At first, I thought I was having a dream about Asher because of what happened, but my cold attitude was not something I would have in regards to him._ I pull out a knife with a dragon on the grip, and I could feel myself smile._

_I thought of fame when I saw that hilt, and I threw it at the person I was chasing. He stumbled for a second, and started running, but I knew it was over for him. He would not be able to stand the heavy dosage of tranquilizers I put on the tip, and with people like him, my mind reasoned, I need more than just one tranquilizer; I need at least seven strong ones._

_It only took a couple more yards before he collapsed, and I caught up to him. I was breathing heavily, for more than just being tired. This is the part that always excited me the most._

_I knelt down before him, deciding to play with him the way he has for so many others, except I wasn't going to show _any_ mercy._

"_Where is she?" I whispered onto his forehead. I heard a few rustles, but I knew I wasn't in danger. It was as if I recognized those steps already. I used my fingers to run across his arm in a spidery way._

_Despite the light touch, the young man shivered. I smiled, and grabbed his jaw._

_He looked at me defiantly. "You're not going to say anything?" I said quietly. When his eyes narrowed at me, I tightened my hold on his jaw, and with steel in my voice, I said, "You respect me, you little scum, or you won't even be able to have the luxury of betraying _her_."_

_At this, his eyes grew wide, then he gurgled, "You'd kill me anyways."_

_I smile at that. "I have a reputation to uphold. Of course I'm going to kill you."_

_At that, he sneered. "I know about you, _Andrea DiBenidetto Romero_. You _have_—"_

_I didn't let him finish, because I made him bite his tongue, where he gave a shrill cry._

"_Jeez, Dre, you sure aren't being nice," I hear a girl tell me. I turn around to face her, and I see Ayrilyn. For a second, she is unrecognizable. She is wearing shorts, and tank top, a trench coat, and a hat, with a crossbow._

"_Show him that side that would make anyone fall to his knees," I hear a guy tell me. I expect to see Asher; it _sounded_ like his voice, but instead I see Tucker. He is wearing cargo pants, a dress shirt, and he is holding a sword._

"_He is insulting me," I said, grabbing his sword and sheathing it to the young man's throat._

"_If you don't tell me now where she is, you might as well say goodbye," and imitating a movie I saw a long time ago, "Savvy?"_

_The young man is trying to squirm, but the tranquilizers don't let him go too far. "Alright, alright, alright," he says once I was about to press down._

"_She's thirty miles west," and his voice cracked as he said, "I can take you there. There is a—"_

"_What makes you think you're needed alive now?" I ask him._

_His eyes grow big. "Because I can make sure you enter alive."_

_I lean in on his ear. "But, I wasn't talking about _that_," I whispered very quietly, to make sure I wasn't heard. "I'm talking about what you know about me. I don't want you spreading that around. You'll ruin two reputations: Mine and his."_

"_No," he cried, "I won't say anything, I swear!"_

"_Too late," I say. "You already said too much." With that, I felt the warm oozing of blood come out of his severed head and onto my hands._

_The eyes and teeth of the dragon on my knife were shiny with blood. Everyone always said that when blood fell on it, it looked like it smiled, just like me when I made a kill. And it wasn't even the weapon I used to kill this fucker…_

.x.x.x.

Unlike last time, I woke up with a start. I immediately calmed down because my sore body resisted to quick movements.

"Asher?" I said while I was breathing in and hyperventilating, trying to relax myself.

"I'm right here," I heard him say. He sat next to me, and looked at me. I grab his arm tightly. "Another nightmare?" he asked me.

I nodded quickly, in short, deft movements. I put my face in one of my hands, and I tried to calm myself down again.

"Tell me about it," he said in a quiet voice. I look around before complying. The sun had gone up, and people were looking at me weird.

"I killed a guy. I-I-I killed him with a sword—"

"Maybe you dreamed that because of all the fighting you've seen Karl and Annaliese do," Asher suggested, though looking disturbed.

I relaxed more. It would make sense. I _did_ see Ayrilyn with a crossbow in my dream. I nodded, trying to accept that as truth. "Yea. Yea, that's it," I said, more to myself than to him.

"Go change," he suggested to me, giving me my bag. "You didn't change yesterday when…" he didn't finish, and I tried not to look embarrassed.

"Alright." I got up, and picked up my bag slowly.

"There's a shower in there too," he told me, "Too bad you guys didn't get towels to spend more money on," he said sarcastically.

"Are you still mad about that?" I asked sleepily. I wondered how long I had slept.

"We would have been in an airplane, probably in California by now, and what happened yesterday would not have happened," he said quietly.

"You certainly didn't seem to mind yesterday," I said, surprised that he would say that.

"I still don't," he said, looking at me again. His eyes became unfocused, and his over diluted eyes seemed a little more normal than usual. "But," he shook himself out of his reverie, "I'm thinking of this as a job, and you don't do that on your job, no matter how much you want to or need to."

_He's always so truthful_.

He's making excuses.

_Oh, I know. Believe me, I know. He just never beats around the bush_.

That's true…

"Well, it happened," I sighed. "I'm going to take a shower then."

"Lock it. Someone almost came in on me when I was taking my shower."

"Okay." I knew I was being very docile, considering I always gave him a hard time with everything, but today was one of those days I just felt like letting everyone have their way. It usually meant I was in a good mood, but nightmares never put me in a good mood.

I lock the door, and I quickly undress myself to take my shower. We had stopped for a little, and I didn't know when the bus would start moving; I didn't want to fall on my naked ass and embarrass myself. I'd be sure people would hear it and be on the lookout as to who was the dumbass that fell.

I tried not to feel bad about my short time in the shower, since I loved to take a long time in showers, but today would be a very quick shower. I waited for a couple seconds for the water to warm up, and after it became apparent it was not going to get any warmer, I held my breath and jumped into the chilly water.

I gasped at the bitter cold, and realized another thing: we did not buy shampoo, or conditioner. I see a bottle of shampoo on the counter not one foot away from me and I grab it. I did not care if it belonged to someone else, I was going to steal some.

It smelled delicious. It was an herbal shampoo, and I smiled as I massaged my head. I tried to keep in mind that I had to take a quick shower, but I let the cool water glade over my body and inhaled the sweet aroma that belonged to someone I may never see again once I set foot off this bus. I let myself relax in the shower for a few minutes before I forced myself to wash out the shampoo. I used the shirt I had worn for the last couple of hours as my towel, and used it to dry myself. I dressed up in the first things I pulled out: a black tank top and yellow shorts. I get out of the shower, and I feel fresh again, ready to face this day's challenges.

Ayrilyn was right outside the door, so I shrink back at the sudden mass right in front of the door. "Oh, it's you," I say.

She looked at me weird. "Who did you think it was? A vampire?" She makes a face.

"Very funny," I say, "You scared the living shit out of me." I hold my hand to my chest, feeling my heart beat faster than normal.

I move out of the way, and let her go in. I'm still using my shirt to dry off my hair as I sit down where Ayrilyn was sitting a few hours before when she was sleeping. I couldn't really sit right next to Asher right now.

"You used the shampoo, didn't you?" Asher asked when I walked past him.

"Well, yea," I said in a small voice, "Why else go into the shower if I'm not going to clean my hair too?"

He gave me a look that meant that he could probably think of other reasons why people take showers, other than to just wash their hair, but he stayed quiet about that. Instead, he said, "I had Karl and Annaliese bring it."

"Oh, they were here?" I asked curiously.

"Hello Andrea," I heard two voices say at the same time. I looked two seats ahead of Asher, and I see Karl and Annaliese sitting next to each other, hand in hand, looking at me with mild shock, and a glint in their eyes as if they, like Tucker, also knew a secret.

"Oh, hello," I said amiably. Now that I knew that everyone here was on the same side, I was able to react calmly to the whole situation. I remembered something, and went through my bag and pulled out the ring they had forced me to wear what seemed a long time ago but had actually been two or three days ago, and handed it to them.

"Enjoy the honeymoon?" Annaliese asked.

My eyes grew wide, wondering if she was cracking a joke, or if she actually knew what happened. I did what I usually did when I didn't know what someone was asking about: I knitted my eyebrows together, and cocked my head to the side. "Come again?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

Karl looked at Asher, and he got up, motioning with his fingers to follow. Asher sighs, hangs his head, inhales and exhales deeply, gets up, and follows Karl.

_I think you're caught dear._

Shut up, shut up, don't say that.

I was worrying. I didn't want anyone to know what happened, because I would be looked down on, and he would get in trouble.

I stare at them as they talk, trying to see if I could catch what they were saying by watching their lips. I wasn't good at reading lips yesterday, and today was no different. And either way, they were on the very far side of the train; I was squinting to see if I could understand what they were saying.

"So it did happen, didn't it?" Annaliese asked me, now sitting next to me. With her sitting next to me, I felt intimidated. She was taller than me, and she had a hard body, one that you know gets training and is used to the extreme.

"Uhmm, no?" I said.

"You can't fool me, Dre," she said, giving me a smile that meant that I couldn't hide anything from her. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to care. What you decide to do isn't any of my business, but I have to tell you: Asher gets attached easily."

"Does he?" I asked her, not bothering to confirm her suppositions of what went between Asher and me; why should I, when she was right, and she knew it?

"Hard to believe?" she asked me.

"A little," I said, sarcasm used heavily.

Annaliese smiled at that. "Well, he does. All I'm saying is that I have known him for years, so I know him well. I've known you for three days, so I don't know you at all. All I'm saying is that you two are one of the most compatible people I know, from what I see."

Talking about what happened and making it seem like we were going to develop anything further made me uneasy. "We only know each other for three days," I told her.

She nodded, eyes big. She got up after Karl whistled from the other side of the bus. "What does that say about you two?" she said, more of a statement than a question. She looked at me for a while, smiled like she knew me better than I knew myself, and said, "Karl knows too, the minute you two started acting politely to each other—"

I covered my face with my hands, "Oh God," I groaned.

"—so we're going to give you two space. You're adults now, so what you two do isn't our business," she repeated, "But don't do things when you both don't plan on continuing it seriously."

I nodded as I watched her sway to Karl's side and Asher was coming back.

They met in the middle, and I could see Asher looking like he had enough of conversation. He stopped enough to hear her, but kept walking once she stopped moving her lips.

_So, he didn't take it seriously either?_

Doesn't that work out for both of us?

_Not if you're going to trip for him at the speed you've been doing._

It is nothing, no worries.

_Let us hope so._

Ayrilyn came out of the shower, using an actual towel. "Where did you get _that_ commodity?" I asked her.

"We made a stop. You took a shower during the break while I bought myself a towel."

"Smart," I said, sighing. "I'll get one at the next stop."

Ayrilyn sat next to me, and asked in a whisper, "Why is he mad?"

It took me a while to know what she was talking about, but I figured it was about Asher soon enough, "Sibling squabbles, most likely," I said, half-truth.

She accepted that, and said, "Well, some guy from up front started talking to me while we went to the store together, and I'm going to go talk to him, okay? Can you handle him on your own?"

I wanted to laugh. I _have_ handled him alone already. Instead, I just nodded, and relaxed into the luggage.

She also walked to the front of the bus, and she also talked to Asher, though he looked a little less angry when he talked to her as he made his way to the back.

I tried to stay as relaxed as possible, especially since I was lying down, I didn't want to go rigid. In the end, relaxing too much was not necessary, since he didn't go all the way to the back. He sat down about five or so rows from me. I relaxed naturally now. Things could not have been more awkward. Go, why did I let myself get carried away? Why did I let moment engulf me with no thought of the consequence whatsoever? I let myself muse over that fact for the rest of the next hour, in which my personal bubble went from none existent to a three-meter radius.

I heard an animated voice, and I was sure the girl that sat on the seat across the aisle from Asher was talking to him.

Good, maybe that way I can think he's like this with every girl he comes across with. I saw him nodding his head as she talked about who knows what.

My head rested on the lumpy but comfortable luggage bag, and I felt so relaxed, that even when there were bumps, it wasn't enough to make me tense; my body always went back to relaxing.

I was drifting to sleep when suddenly he sat right in front of me.

"I thought you were chilling with other people," I murmur, too sleepy to care about what awkwardness we might have now.

"Girls trying to make a good impression on me got old after the first couple years after hitting twenty," he said.

"Is that when you became a vampire hunter?" I asked him.

"Nope," he said, "Sixteen."

This time I opened my eyes, "Why did you say twenty when you were sixteen? I thought that whole essence deal made you stop aging or something."

He sighed. "Vampire hunters do what you could say 'steal vampire essence.' After a while, it eludes you, and you start to age again. That," he said, pausing a little for emphasis, "Is what happened to me."

"I'm glad it did," I said, thinking it would have been weird meeting him as a sixteen-year-old.

I hear him chuckle in surprise. "As am I. The people I lived with were younger than me by about twelve years, and by the time I started aging again, it looked like we could have been brothers."

"They weren't?" I mumbled.

"Nephews."

My eyes shot open again, "Karl's and Annaliese's children?" I asked incredulously.

He nodded his head, looking like he was remembering things and staring off to space.

_So, they had kids?_

And apparently, some twenty years must have gone by before he could age into an adult.

_And if it took a while to gain their reputation, they must be pretty old._

"How long does it take to make a good reputation in the vampire hunting community?" I asked him.

He looked at me, then answered, "About one hundred years."

I quickly sat up, looking at him disbelievingly. "_One hundred years_?"

"If you just go and live like you used to, killing a vampire or two every couple years when they give you an assignment."

"How long did it take you three?"

"Fifty."

_Not so bad when it's in the double digits, huh?_

Better than three digits, I must admit.

"Oh," I said, and lied back into the bag.

I had my eyes closed for about another fifteen seconds when I hear the driver in the speaker box say, "Stop in one minute. This stop will have a market and a couple chain food restaurants."

I sigh, and open my eyes. "So much for some sleep," I grumbled.

"Hungry?" Asher asked me.

"Actually, ravenous," I said. I was about to look for my money, but I remember giving it all to him.

"Do you want McDonalds, Burger King, or Jack in the Box?" he asked me while looking outside the window.

"Jack in the Box!"

"Never heard of it, but let's go, I'll get Ayrilyn something since she gave me her money too."

"You took her money away?" I asked, as if Ayrilyn was a child we were protecting.

_She's probably older than _you_._

"She gave it to me. She doesn't trust anyone here, and doesn't seem to know about jean pockets. They make fifteen minute stops, let's go now," he said, and grabbed my arm, but quickly let me go, "Uhh…" he said, "Ready to go now?" he asked instead.

"How about we just pretend it didn't happen?" I said quietly, trying to get this out of the way.

"I'm more than willing to," he said, "But Karl can be a bitch when I don't take 'responsibility' for my actions," he said, using quotation marks around _responsibility_.

"It's not like anything is going to _happen_," I said. I didn't want anyone listening in, so I said, "We'll talk about it in the restaurant."

"Alright," he said, and motioned for me to go first. "Thank you," I say, and he replied, "No problem."

I had thought that with _that_ issue gone, I would stop liking Asher. I had hoped it was just some sexual attraction and it would go away, but it didn't—for neither of us. I had thought of talking to some of the people on the bus, maybe get to know a few of them, and act like good friends while we were in the same bus, but after yesterday, it seemed insignificant. None of them would be interesting enough for me.

_And you hope it's the same for him too, right?_

What would happen if I did?

_Nothing. You're just letting your guard down. You got too confident about being repulsed over the fact that he was a vampire. You thought you would loathe him all the way, didn't you?_

Yes, I did think that...

_This could all mean something._

Like what?

_Fate._

Fate made me do this?

_No. You are fated to be or do something, and no matter how much you try to avoid it, it will always bring you back to square one to do it over again._

I thought back to all the times Asher and I kissed, or when that unspoken tension would suddenly come between us.

_It makes sense, doesn't it?_

No!

_Still trying to think I am wrong? How many times have I been wrong?_

A few times.

_You'll see. I'm always right._

"Hello, can I please take your order?" the cashier asked us.

"Uhmm," I said, "A number six."

"Small, medium, or large?"

"Medium."

"Curly fries or regular fries?"

"Curly."

"Alright. And you sir?"

"I'll have the same thing."

"Alright. That will be thirteen twenty eight. For here or to go?"

"Uhh…" he looked at me, waiting for an answer.

"For here," I say.

"Alright. You are order thirty-nine. Have a great day," she said as she handed us our cups.

"You too," we both said in unison. We sat down at a secluded place, where we could be near the people, but not _too_ near that we could be overheard.

"Okay, so," I said slowly, "What are we going to do now?"

"Well, you're going to eat."

"I'll go bring Karl and Annaliese and we'll _both_ tell them nothing is happening, and while I go get them, I'm going to drop off these things to Ayrilyn."

"She's actually talking to a guy, you know," I said conspiratorially.

"I know," he said, who showed just as much surprise as me. "I'm sure she'll kill me if I ruined it for her by making her come here, so that's why I'm just dropping it off."

"Are you sure about Karl and Annaliese?" I asked him, not really wanting to involve many people.

"Look," he said, "I don't like getting people into _my_ business either, but he is my _older_ brother. And older siblings are naturally nosy and have a high opinion for everything."

"That is _not_ true!" I said, "I have a younger sister, and _I_ don't go into her business."

"I can bet you she isn't even ten, and that is why." He looked at me, to see if he was right. My hanging mouth showed him he was. "See? _That_ is why. I'll be back. They just called our number." He went to go get the food, and he got a bag in which he put all of Ayrilyn's things, except her drink, into it. He dropped off the plate, and then took off.

I grabbed a fry, and chewed it slowly. So far, we managed to have one somewhat normal conversation; that is a good start, right?

_Yea…if the conversation had been more than a minute._

I sigh. It is right.

_I am always right_.

I mulled over what I could say, but really couldn't think up of anything that wouldn't sound irresponsible.

I heard Annaliese before I could see her, and I waited for them to sit down before I would start eating again.

"You two have got to take responsibility," she said loudly, and I could see some people turning heads. She was talking to Asher, not me, but I could tell that she started her lecture early.

_Are older siblings and in-laws really _that_ annoying and meddlesome?_

Yup. You are too, just not to the same extent.

_Thank god._

_Or gods._

Or gods, I agreed.

They sat down, and Annaliese looked at us. She was waiting for Karl to speak.

"So, uhmm, ahem," Karl said awkwardly, "How are you?" he asked me.

"I'm fine."

"Good, good," he said. It stayed quiet for five seconds, and then, I said, "Look, I know it's going to be awkward, but this whole small talk and beating around the bush is really making it worse. Can you just please get to what you want to talk about?"

Karl looked mildly surprised, but then smiled. "Alright, point straight is: you and my brother had sex."

I could see from my peripheral vision that Asher was trying to pretend he was not part of the conversation. "Yea, say it a little louder, why don't you?" I said sarcastically.

"You said no small talk, and no beating around the bush," Karl said seriously, "I usually don't like to do that with people I don't know, unlike my brother, but I know how to say things the way they are."

"In other words, blunt," I said, trying to will myself not to blush, "Alright, I can work with blunt. But, so what? It's not like he's twelve and you have to take care of him."

"He's my little brother, so I have to care," Karl said, "And you are underage."

"Look, in two weeks, I'm eighteen; so basically, the whole underage thing was overdue six months ago."

"But right now, you are seventeen; And Asher—Asher might look about twenty, but he's far from it."

"Physically, he's twenty," I said, not thinking about the whole how-long-he's-been-in-existence deal, "So, what's the problem?"

"He's also a vampire. And even if he wasn't, he is a vampire hunter," Annaliese said, her voice soft and soothing.

"Look, it's not like we were trying to make mutant babies. It just _happened_."

"So, both of you are saying the same thing, eh?" Karl said, looking at Asher. "Asher, you're part of this conversation too. You're acting childish if you're thinking you could ignore this just because Andrea is answering all our questions."

"I already told you what has been going on," he said, not looking at him, "Dre just showed you that we are both mutually impassive about what happened, and that it does not _concern_ you," he said the last part as though each word was a sentence.

"Asher, we are trying to make sure nothing goes wrong here," Annaliese said indignantly.

He ignored her, looking angry.

I looked between them, and sighed. "Look, he got thirsty, I offered to give him my blood, and we got carried away. That was _all_." I held my hands, to amplify the _all_ part. "And really, don't worry about it, I'm not going to tell the world about this. Your brother is safe in that aspect."

"Can I really trust you in that?" Karl asked me, looking serious, but his eyes showed real worry and concern for his brother.

"I put that on...I don't know…God, my family, or…I don't know…my life."

"That's good enough," Karl said.

"You seemed too carefree for our own good," Annaliese admitted, not looking sorry about her prior judgment, "At least I can rest easy now. Hurry and eat, or take it with you. The bus leaves in five minutes."

"I'll put it in the bus. I have to get a towel," I said, then turned to Asher, "I need a twenty."

"For a _towel_?"

"What if it's ten dollars? I need to pay tax," I said.

He huffed, but pulled out a twenty.

Annaliese got up, and said, "I'll go with you."

I was about to object, but then I thought _why not?_ "Alright," I said.

We went into the little Mom and Pop mart, and I got a big towel. "Why did you come with me?" I asked her straight out.

"I want to ask you a few things."

"Alright. Shoot," I said.

"One: Asher gave you those pendants, didn't he? Two: Who let who get carried away? And three: You like Asher, don't you?"

I was not in the mood, but then again, so wasn't she. "You care for your brother-in-law, don't you?"

"He has done me an unpayable favor, and he's been there for me and Karl many times, and he's my brother-in-law, so yes. But right now, I'm the one asking the questions."

I held up my hands submissively and defensively. "Alright, alright. One: Yes, he put those rings you gave me in there, and I admired the pendants, and he let me wear them. Two: I have no clue. He scares me when he's like that, and I could tell he's been holding it in, so I guess I'm the one who let him get carried away. Three," I said, taking a little pause, trying to find a way out of answering that, "I don't really know anymore," I said.

"So he got you confused?"

"I suppose you can say that," I admitted.

She looked down at me, since she was taller than I was. "I think that's a good sign."

"Excuse me?"

She smiled a kind, warm smile, "I thought you were a loose girl, but I guess I was wrong." I looked at her, insulted. She thought I was a whore? "Hey, I just said I was wrong," she repeated, "But really, I'm sure Karl is telling Asher the same thing right now: don't hurt him."

I looked at her confused. "I really think there is nothing to hurt."

She didn't look phased. "I've been there before: there _is_ something, even if it's minute. Right now, I don't think you two even see it."

"What?"

"That natural attraction."

"Oh, I guess you can say I saw it."

"No," she said slowly, "I don't think you see the depth of it."

"Any depth, and it would be love; I really doubt anyone could fall in love that quickly," I said.

"I know I did," she said, an indescribable smile spread across her face, but then she shook out of it. "I don't think it's love for you two either; but there _is_ something."

_There, what you have been looking for: It's _not_ love._

No…it's something more complicated than that.

* * *

Get to Know...Karl Kilbourne!

age: 28

height: 5'11"

eyes: light blue

hair: dark brown (almost black)

signature: sword

description: Asher's older brother, who along with his wife, Annaliese, protect humans against vampires, and Asher against vampire hunters who may want to kill him and vampires who know who he is.

history: becoming a vampire hunter with his wife and younger brother (making the traditional three-man team), he worked to make his group the best vampire hunting group in the world. It started when a nearby field was attacked by four vampires, and he, Annaliese, and back-then 16-year-old Asher killed the vampires. Karl and Annaliese were then forced to become vampire hunters, leaving Asher to take care of their two kids. After becoming vampire hunters and gaining a small reputation in the vampire hunter community, they went back to their hometown to pick up Asher after it became evident that their two children could sustain themselves. They banded together after Asher received his training, and became the best vampire hunting group in the world (and in history). Then, two years ago (25 years after time gap *for the sequel*), Asher was tricked by a vampire and he became a vampire. Karl along with Annaliese gave up his high position in hunter society to protect his little brother from both hunters who wanted a bounty on his head, and vampires who wanted to avenge him. They met Friedrich on the eve of his transformatoin, and agreed to help him too, and he and Annaliese protected the two vampires. Before that, Karl worked on the family farm, always working hard. He met Annaliese as a teenager, though she was of a higher social status; however, they broke social rules and eloped against her parents' wishes. They had two children, whom they had to leave when they killed the vampires. By the time of my story, the kids are about sixty years old (80 or 90 by time gap). Until death, Karl is a reputable vampire hunter with deftness, efficiency, and most importantly, quantity and quality. His trio holds the most number of vampire slaying and destruction of covens in history.

strengths: close to mid-range combat, precise, quick, deft sword movements, leadership abilities

weaknesses: long-range combat

likes: competition, challenge, hunts, being on top

dislikes: vampires, "California Valley Girl Accent," asking his wife to bail Asher out of jail (which, actually, happens a lot).

* * *

In a review for NW:BD, someone asked me if Dre was a virgin, and it got me thinking. I mean, the last sentence was somewhat provocative (ritual of kissing and blood), and they were in a bathroom, and...yea.

So, I decided she would not be a virgin, even before meeting Asher (:O). Too bad, I am having too much fun with that, and making Dre seem like a bitch (which she is. I think I might need to do a little Get to Know... about her to show the world she isn't that white and pure. So yea, posting early this time! Aren't I nice? Will post again for the usual posting schedule (though probably shorter chapter (yayness for shortness, right?).

Alright. Am seeing that I'm getting too into making them "fall in love." Don't want that! I wanted it to just be some attraction...but...that question was just too hard to resist. So, what do you think of them now, that you've seen a different side of those two?

So, last but not least: Thanks to:

VWH luv them all: YOU asked me if Dre was a virgin. So, no, she is not. I actually laughed for most of the whole writing part, just because I never _ever_ planned on having them do this (at least in this one :P). Sorry, but Friedrich _is_ dead. Don't worry, she'll find someone...eventually. I'll make it happen :)

Tywien: :O You gotta tell me where is was that I had vampire. Do you like longness? I _always_ get carried away with description, so my chapters are always long. If you no like long, next chapter might be shorter :)

rocktheroxie: Thanks!

MyButterfly364: Hmm, yea, we're, like...another story ahead for this. You know the ending and errythang! I'd do Tucker...but...haha...it would give away too muc, like you said. (Oh, by the way, MyButterfly364 is officially my test reader, and basically beta reader, as in, I write and read (alpha), and she reads (beta). Haha! I'm so lame at jokes).

Songs From the Heart: Yea, someone asked me if I was a huge shopper (I'm not...not really). I will definitely do Andre, but more near the end, cuzz I do the _whole_ history of up to the end...and then...you would know the end without my explanation :( And I actually think my explanation is actually quiet good :)

Review!


	16. Fatality

"If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn, people die, but real love is forever."  
-The Crow

"_I know I did," she said, an indescribable smile spread across her face, but then she shook out of it. "I don't think its love for you two either; but there is something."_

_There, what you have been looking for: It's _not_ love._

_No…it's something more complicated than that._

And I hate complications.

"We should hurry and get back before that damned bus driver decides to leave us," Annaliese said, suddenly changing the ambiance of our conversation.

_It's not going to be for long, and you know it_.

I know. But for now, I plan to get sleep.

_Starting to like those dreams I see._

Not even close. But I'm going to tough them out.

_Enjoy them. You'll like sleep more that way._

Uh huh.

_See? You can't even deny it anym—_

"Andrea! Are you in there?" I heard Annaliese tell me.

"I'm here," I say monotonously.

"I asked you a question."

_She asked you if you know what state you guys are currently in._

"Arizona."

"Thanks," Annaliese said to her, then turned to Karl, "Arizona."

"But where specifically?" Karl asked back.

"I don't know. The driver isn't really updating us in our location."

"Stupid driver. No wonder no one wanted to get this bus. Asher, go ask that driver where we are exactly."

I heard Asher get up as he went from the back of the bus to the front. As he came back, I just kind of stared, not really wanting to say anything, nor do anything.

"We're in Dragoon, Arizona."

"And do you know the hunter stationed here?" Karl asked to both of them.

"I heard it's John Whitmore," Asher said, sounding careful, as though he knew what he said would not go along with everyone.

"What are we _doing_ here? John does not welcome us here."

"Why not?" asked Ayrilyn. She stood up, giving them a look that showed confidence and the right to know what is going on.

There was some hesitation before Annaliese said, "John Whitmore is a vampire hunter that does not like our methods of destroying vampires."

"What is your method compared to his?" Ayrilyn persisted, despite Annaliese's tone of finality.

"We torture them for information."

"Isn't that what you're supposed to do?" I asked, interested in the conversation.

"Yes. But we promise them to free them if they give us good information…" Annaliese said, drifting off, realizing that she was making them sound horrible.

"…but you never let them go, do you?" Ayrilyn asked.

"No," Karl finished off, as Annaliese was visibly uncomfortable about how she handled things.

"Less bloodsuckers in the world, if you ask me," Ayrilyn said, shocking us all with how strong her words were.

"I'm glad you see it that way, but we have to get back to planning on what we're going to do after we drop you two off in...where do you _live_, Andrea?"

"Los Angeles," I said, realizing that I never really mentioned what city I lived.

They stood thinking for a while, but then got back to their planning. "Alright, so how far is it to Los Angeles from here?"

"The driver told me that there are about ten hours left. _But_, there are going to be more people on this bus now."

"That raises the chances of another vampire encounter," Annaliese said worriedly, "We can't fight them in plain view. People will know what we are, and Whitmore will most likely hear about this."

"If there are vampires, we will pretend to not know what they are, and hide our faces, especially yours, Asher."

Why do they worry so much about this John Whitwhat so much?

_Vampire hunter versus vampire hunter. Imagine the sound of that._

He would fight them because of their ideology?

_Vampire hunters are vicious people. Even more vicious than vampires themselves._

Doubtful. They protect people from getting killed. How is that being vicious?

_People only see vampire hunters as good because what they do is convenient to people. Otherwise, they would be seen as how vampires are seen._

No. Vampire hunters are good people.

_Aha. They're the ones with the worst and most vices._

I made myself comfortable in my seat as I watch people get on the bus. I also did not allow myself to contemplate what the voice inside my head was telling me. I was with four vampire hunters, and the idea that they were the worst of the two would be much more frightening.

"People in the back, please sit down now so the new arrivals can see where the available seats are," the bus driver said.

Karl and Annaliese had a section all to themselves while Ayrilyn, Asher, and myself had the very back row to ourselves. Thankfully, not a lot of people were on the bus, and the arrivals sat close to the back, but not close enough to interact with us.

_My, my, my. Don't they look fidgety._

What do you mean?

_They look nervous. Look at them turning their heads everywhere. It's like they're scared to get caught doing something._

They probably have drugs. Idiots. They should have taken a train or their own cars.

Asher and Ayrilyn sat on either side of me, as if their vampire hunting teaching was put on hold because they still didn't get along well. I began to wonder if they were forcing themselves to get along because they might be working together in the near future if things in California didn't work too well, or if they were just trying to get along in these final days because they knew they would never have to deal with each other again and being nice for even a little while would make it worth it.

Thinking about that took a lot of time off my hands, so I was surprised when the bus driver stopped and called for a bathroom break in a remote rest stop.

"Excuse me, why aren't we just using the restrooms offered here?" Annaliese asked, obviously not liking the idea of being in a remote place.

"There are too many people now. And I see the line to our two toilets and showers. The rest stop offers three bathrooms, _and_ it has a ladies' and mens' room," the bus driver said tiredly.

_Now that you think about it, you need to go to the bathroom._

Maybe just a little. But I'll wait until we start going again.

_No, you _want_ to go to the bathroom._

I noticed the fidgety people get up quickly, and head to the bathroom. They give my vampire hunters a recognizable look. In that moment, I knew those people were vampires and they knew there were vampire hunters in the bus with them.

"So you know now," Asher said once he saw the realization in my face. I nodded, taking one more glance. I wouldn't have paid them any more mind, except Ayrilyn suddenly got up and walked her way to the bathroom with a purpose.

"Damn it," Asher said, and followed her. Karl and Annaliese look at me, signal to follow them, and get up, leaving as well.

Ayrilyn wasn't waiting in the short line to use the restroom, so we knew she would try to kill those vampires herself.

_Ayrilyn…you idiot. What did you take with you?_ For once, the voice in my head and I had the same thought. I followed the vampire hunters because they knew more than me. And it was soon that they pulled out their weapons. I looked back, to see if anyone noticed and saw that were too far to be.

"Keep behind us," Karl said to me. I wasn't gonna go against that. I knew the dangers vampires brought by now.

"THE KILBOURNES," I heard one of the vampires say. Karl and Annaliese brought out their weapons and started fighting the vampires. I tried to look for Ayrilyn, to see if she died trying to be who she was forced to be.

_Destined to be_.

I spot her, and before I could really think what I was doing, I yell, "AYRILYN, GET OVER HERE," and when she saw me, she ran to me. She seemed faster, and I knew it was because she was now a vampire hunter. "Are you alright?" I ask, once she's within hearing distance.

"Yeah, I killed one," she said excitedly, showing me the bloody pocket knife, "I was able to see so clearly; even more so now."

"Annaliese!" we heard Karl yell out anxiously. We turned over and saw that Annaliese was on her knees, a long knife in her gut. The vampire ruthlessly took the knife upward, bones cracking under the swiftness of the blade. It almost reached her lungs before Karl reached her attacker and killed him with one swift blow of his sword.

Of course, the smell of blood brought more vampires near her, and Karl killed off as many as he could. Just when Ayrilyn was about to get in and get herself killed, Asher came in and saved him.

My God, Asher could fight. There was one thing that he carried with him, something I didn't even _know_ he had. It was a knife, and even from where I was hiding, I could tell it was a good one. The tang, although bloody, _must_ have been well-built, because he threw that thing around like it was nobody's business. And obviously, the blade was sharp. It was extremely sharp.

"Find those girls and get them out of here! Whitmore will find us and at least pardon you. GO!" Karl said through the tears. He let himself drop to the ground after the last visible vampire died. My eyes were brimming with tears, as were Ayrilyn's. Annaliese was the nicest of the vampire hunters, even if she wasn't friendly to me today.

"No, you're coming with us, you have to get them into the city," Asher said, clearly sad for Annaliese, but holding it together better than Karl.

They both looked at a general direction, and Ayrilyn did too, suddenly on the alert. "There are more," was all she said. I turned my attention back to the brothers.

"I don't have a reason to keep going," I barely heard Karl say. He took his necklace and then Annaliese's, handed them to Asher, and said, "Take this with you, and our weapons. You are _not_ to tell _anyone_ that two Kilbournes died today."

"What are you talking about? They will find your bodies!" Asher said, once he realized Karl was going to commit suicide.

"You better run fast, Asher; I wouldn't want to kill my own brother along with the other vampires."

Before I could see his reaction, Ayrilyn grabbed me and pulled me towards the bus. "He has a grenade."

"How is that going to go unnoticed?" I asked.

"It won't. We better go."

"But what about Asher? We can't just leave him beh—"

"Yes we can," Ayrilyn said, "And anyway, it's obvious Karl was the leader of the group. He'll listen to the leader…his older brother." We slow down and she releases my hand once we're within sight of the rest of the people from the bus

We reach the bus, and I take my seat in the back. I didn't even bother to see if anyone noticed our strange behavior. I sighed heavily with relief when I saw Asher get back into the bus, walking towards us.

"I'm stuck with you two til you reach home," Asher said, then lowering his voice, despite there was no reason to he said, "I'm giving you two Karl and Annaliese's weapons. I have no need for them. You two will." He put the weapons in my bag, and sat down where they were sitting, away from Ayrilyn and I.

"What happened to that big group?" the bus driver asked Asher.

"Does it look like I know? I bet they were drug dealers. They looked it."

"Stupid idiots," the bus driver said, before pulling out of the parking lot.

"Yeah," Asher said desolately.

"Next and final stop: Los Angeles."

* * *

It's been a while, huh? I had to see my last chapter to see how I organized this. It took me THIS long to write this chapter. Yeah. Can you believe that? A YEAR TO WRITE ONE MEASLY CHAPTER. Oh well. I hope you can all enjoy this chapter. Now to my reviewers:

MyButterfly364: My girlllll :] hope everything is going well for you. And yes, you get Con haha. The Get To Knows will continue on the next chapter, if I can remember them. I forgot I even did those.

Songs From the Heart: You will get to know Dre more and more through the events that will unfold in the next few chapters.

hellgurl911: Thank you for reading my story :] it really means a lot to me that you like my voice; I usually find it generally annoying because it's so...attitude-y. Yes, I am very aware that the first few chapter make NO sense. I actually changed the course of the story within the first few chapters and never changed any of the previous foreshadowings and clues. It shall be done though! ...eventually haha. Thank you for reading!

crazedgirl: Thank you for reading! Here's your update :]

Hannah: I just might finish this story, yeah?

Thanks for your reviews! Please tell me what you think of this story.


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